Dear Kazekage
by Maerchen Freunde
Summary: Gaara and Hinata become pen-pals. Will their correspondence lead to deeper things? Or are these two shy people only able to express themselves on paper? Gaara/Hina, Shika/Temari, Naru/Saku, and others. Rating for language and adult situations.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: This is an idea that's been going through my head for a while. I hope you like it. **_

_**Naruto is the property of Masashi Kishimoto, not me, however he kindly lets us play with his characters.**_

Dear Kazekage

Chapter One: Making an Impression

Hinata daintily tasted the unusual looking chawan mushi. She rolled the delicate custard studded with pumpkin slivers around her mouth, her eyes closed in pleasure.

"Mmm," she hummed softly, savoring the way hints of black pepper and green chive contrasted with the sweet pumpkin and salty custard. She heard someone coughing slightly, and opened her eyes. She looked around shyly and was startled to see the Fifth Kazekage, Sabaku no Gaara, looking at her with a slight frown.

"This is really qu-quite delicious," she stuttered, blushing rosily. Oh, dear, she really hated to call attention to herself like this. The banquet Sunagakure was hosting for the Konohagakure delegation and the visiting merchant lords should have been large enough for her to be able to blend into the background. Whoever had decided to put her next to the Kazekage had to be a torture master of the first order. She looked around the room, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

She really didn't know anyone here in Suna, except for the Kazekage's older sister and brother, the Sand siblings, and their taciturn sensai, Baki. And she couldn't for the life of her think of any reason Temari or Kankuro would give a fig about her in any way. Her partner diplomat, Nara Shikamaru had been her friend since childhood, and was renowned for his studied disinterest. She doubted he would have taken the time to torment her.

That left Gaara, the Kazekage.

Which was absurd.

The Kazekage had paid her only minimal attention during her stay. During trade negotiations discussing a vender route proposed by various merchant lords of the Lands of Wind, Rain and Fire, he had not demonstrated much interest in her, listening politely and noncommittally to anything she added to the discussions.

She looked over at him with a little frown.

Gaara continued to study her, his flat aqua gaze unreadable.

A twinge of anger zinged through her. Really, was it so unusual to enjoy one's food? She certainly had not been impolite. If there was anything the eldest daughter of Konoha's oldest clan families knew, it was proper etiquette. Why couldn't he leave her alone and let her enjoy her meal in peace?

She frowned more deeply and studied him back defiantly.

The former jinchuriki had changed since those fateful Chuunin exams. For one, he was much taller, although still very slim. His hair was still an unusual shade of dark red, almost a burgundy color, contrasting starkly with his pale skin, and, although he was meticulously dressed, his hair sprang from his head in unruly locks, as if some wild part of him needed to be expressed. His large turquoise eyes were still rimmed with the black circles of insomnia, a legacy of the raccoon sand demon who had inhabited him, but they did not have the tortured expression that had been so frightening during those turbulent years.

Hinata had heard a lot about his battle with Naruto and how he had changed for the better since then. She had even spent some time with him and his older brother and sister when they had been observing the Hidden Leaf Academy, and had noticed that Gaara did not seem quite as homicidally inclined as he had once been. Since the Akatsuki had extracted the demon, the young Kazekage had also been rumored to be more tolerant of others and less likely to fall into an uncontrollable rage.

Still, couldn't he just mind his own business and eat his dinner without bothering her?

Hinata sighed inwardly, and pasted a smile on her face. She had worked hard to overcome her natural timidity. It was time to put her skills to good use.

"You are fortunate to have such a t-talented chef," she said, ignoring her tendency to stutter, "my father would enjoy this dish."

Gaara looked down at his own dish of the steamed custard as if he had never seen it before.

"Yes," he said, in his rather gruff, flat voice, "I believe he is very talented." He scooped up some of the custard and tasted it carefully. His eyes widened in surprise. He glanced over at Hinata, "It _is _good," he said, and continued to eat without further comment.

Hinata waited a moment to see if he would require more inane conversation from her. No, he appeared to be content with his dinner, thankfully. She turned her full attention to her own food.

The banquet was interminable, as such things usually were. Hinata managed to maintain a polite silence during most of it, smiling at appropriate moments and bowing when required. She frequently served as the Konoha representative for these kinds of affairs. Lady Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage of Konoha, had told her that her fine manners and lady-like ways gave any delegation an air of distinction. Hinata's secret opinion was that she was the only one who didn't refuse to go to the boring dinners. The Hokage had also said that she relied on Hinata's quick mind to pick up on any underlying political problems that might be brewing.

Fortunately for her enjoyment of the evening, nothing seemed off, except for the Kazekage, perhaps. But he always seemed a little off.

And, no wonder. He had been feared all his life. His father, the Fourth Kazekage, had instilled the one-tailed Racoon Dog sand demon, Shukaku, in his own infant son to create the ultimate weapon for Suna, without sealing the demon's vicious personality from that of the child. The tanuki sand-demon had taken over Gaara's young mind, driving him to murder and near insanity.

Hinata could not begin to imagine the kind of torment Gaara had endured, but she knew it had to have been terrible. She still vividly remembered witnessing the horrifying murders of the Rain shinobi during the Chuunin exams. Gaara had become one with Shukaku, crushing his victims in his Sand Coffin jutsu. Even then, sickened by his cold-blooded actions, she had spared a feeling of sympathy for the anguish he must have felt.

Perhaps that was why he appeared so flat and aloof. Perhaps any kind of emotion felt too much like the terrible rage and power of the monster he had contained.

She stole a speculative glance at him through her lashes and almost choked on the iced piece of melon she had started to chew.

He was looking sideways at her again.

The piece of fruit caught in her throat blocking off air.

She tried to cough it up.

Oh, Kami, she was choking!

She clawed at her throat in a panic, standing up hastily and looking about her wildly for something to lean over to force the food out of her throat.

She was suddenly grabbed from behind, strong arms wrapping around her and two fists under her rib-cage pulling in sharply several times.

The ragged melon ball shot out of her mouth with an explosive huff of air and landed in the center of the floor.

Hinata hung limply for a moment in the saving embrace, her eyes streaming with tears.

She contemplated her humiliation.

Not so lady-like now, eh, Hokage-san?

She was gently released and set on her feet. The arms unwrapped her, but hands stayed firmly at her waist. She was grateful for the support. Without it, she probably would have fallen flat on her face.

She turned to thank the person who had saved her and came nose-to-sternum with the solid, silent figure of the Kazekage.

The exclamations of the other diners faded as her ears filled with the pounding of her own heart.

She had a moment to notice how warm his hands were and how nice he smelled before she fainted.

* * *

Gaara debated his options.

He could lay the unconscious woman down on the floor.

He could signal to his ANBU guards to come get her.

He could pick her up in his arms and carry her out of the room and find somewhere quiet to put her down.

He chose option number three, scooping her small form up easily and walking out of the hall, ignoring the protests and stares and whispered comments of the people around him.

He was the Kazekage. If he wanted to carry a girl around, he would.

It wasn't as though he hadn't done stranger things, and much worse, in the past.

His lips twitched.

He had enjoyed watching the Hyuuga eat. Her expressive face had added spice to his own dining experience.

He often forgot to taste his food, generally eating enough to sustain him while he was working. Her hum of pleasure when she tasted the chawan mushi had been so sensual, it had awakened his own senses.

He remembered her from the chuunin exams. He had been scornful of her weakness then. It had surprised him as much as everyone else when she had somehow managed to keep fighting, even when her chakra had been so diminished and she had been close to death. There was something then about her tiny, brave figure that had interested him.

Later, he had largely ignored her when she helped at the Academy. She was irritatingly shy, always blushing and stuttering, but he also remembered that she had been unobtrusively kind and thoughtful. And he had been impressed by how competently she worked with the Academy students and how they respected and loved her in return.

Along with the Nara, she had made shrewd suggestions during the recent tricky negotiations, fulfilling her duties admirably if quietly. Even the most slippery of the lords had treated her with fatherly respect, won over by her gentle patience and soft suggestions. During those meetings he had come to realize that her seemingly submissive ways hid a determination as hard as iron. He was interested again.

Now he held her in his arms, enjoying the warmth of her body pressed against his chest. He strolled with her out onto the large balcony that connected the banquet rooms with smaller work rooms, thinking that the evening air might revive the girl.

Which would be a pity.

It would interrupt his observations.

She really was very pretty. Beautiful, even, with her pale skin and long, dark, blue-black hair, pinned back now with pearl and silver ornaments. Her long lashes brushed her cheeks and her curvy full mouth was open slightly. Her head had fallen back against his arm and he followed the line of her white throat down to the modest top of her kimono. It had loosened a little, revealing the shadowy folds of her under-kimono and tunic.

He sat down on a bench, juggling her gently so that she lay more securely against his shoulder. He didn't want to put her down. It was not often that he had an opportunity for human contact. His family was not comfortable expressing themselves through touch. Actually, anything physical that had been shared amongst the siblings had usually been painful.

Oh, there were the fan-girls and boys who followed him around when he walked around Suna. He had no doubt that if he had given a signal, any one of them would have been willing to provide him with physical touch. Kankuro had often told him that he was an idiot not to take advantage of all the possibilities offered to him. The thought was distasteful. He wasn't sure what it was that he wanted, but he was pretty certain it wasn't something any of the breathless youngsters and not so youngsters that fawned over him could provide.

He saw her eyelids flutter and heard a soft gurgling sigh. He jumped up and arranged her neatly on the bench, stepping back as she woke.

"Oh, my goodness," said Hinata softly, peering up at the night sky, "what -?" She sat up hastily, looking around her, clutching her kimono tightly over her chest. She put a shaky hand to her mouth as she saw Gaara standing quietly near her with his arms folded staring down at her.

"What h-happened?" she asked, hesitantly.

"You almost choked. Then you fainted," Gaara said, gruffly. He frowned when he saw how her face fell.

"I – I'm sorry," she said, sadly, "to be such a bother."

"Why should you be sorry?" he asked, curious at her reaction.

"I thought I'd gotten over my 'fainting' stage," she said, ruefully, "it seems n-not."

"Hnh," he muttered, "you very nearly choked to death. That would make anyone faint."

She chuckled, surprising him.

"I know lots of people who wouldn't f-faint for anything," she said, standing up carefully, "especially not a little piece of m-melon."

He put a hand out as she swayed a little, then folded it back over his chest as she squared her shoulders.

"You didn't need to leave your guests for m-me," she said, shaking her head at him and smiling.

He shrugged.

"I was planning on leaving," he said shortly. He turned away and looked out over the nightscape of his town.

"Ah," she said, "I'm sorry again. Thank you so much for saving m-my life."

He turned to see her low bow.

"I will say good-night to you, then, Kazekage-sama," she said softly, bowing again, "and thank you."

Her smile was warm and sweet.

He watched her turn and walk gracefully to the door leading back to the hall.

He wanted to ask her to stay, but the words stuck in his throat.

And there was no one there to put her arms around him to force them out.

* * *

_**A/N: Well, this is the beginning. Tell me if you like it.**_

_**As always, reviews and constructive criticism are welcome.**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Thought I'd get to the correspondence part. Hope you like it.**_

_**As before, I do not own Naruto.**_

**Dear Kazekege**

Chapter Two: Surprising Revelations

Hinata enjoyed traveling. She liked studying the changing scenery, listening to the birds, breathing in the fresh air. She tended to prefer normal walking to the quicker flash-walking that most shinobi used. It seemed such a shame to go dashing from tree to tree without pausing to explore her surroundings.

Ahead of her, Shikamaru and Temari were walking with their heads close together. Although they didn't actually hold hands, it was obvious that the two were completely absorbed in each other. They didn't seem to mind the slow pace Hinata preferred.

It was nice to see the two together. They made an attractive pair. Shikamaru had grown taller, and had filled out and his usually bored expression was enlivened when he looked over at Temari. She was still the same confident, beautiful person she had been when they first met at the chuunin exams, but now her often sarcastic sharpness was softened with a teasing smile. Hinata was happy for them.

She sighed a little. So many of her former class-mates were pairing up. She felt a moment of sadness. She had yet to find someone to love who would love her in return. She didn't really think it would happen, anyway. She would probably end up like one of her aunts. The crazy pale-eyed lady with many cats living in the farthest corner of the Hyuuga compound.

Although she had a tender heart and longed to share a loving relationship with someone, she was no longer willing to settle for a one-sided love. She wanted someone to see her and acknowledge her worth, who would love her frailties and discover her strengths.

As the eldest daughter and former heir to the Hyuuga family fortune, she had endured criticism and scorn from her family, eating away at her self-esteem every day. Her father and the other clan elders had never trusted her to be strong enough to act as head of the powerful family, mistaking her quietness for weakness. She was constantly being held up as a poor second to her younger sister, Hanabi, the new family heir, or to her talented cousin, Neji, or to just about anyone else the Hyuuga family could use as a comparison.

It was only in her work as a kunoichi serving her village that she felt worth-while.

She had struggled, working and training every day to get stronger. At first, her efforts were to please her family, especially her harsh father. After almost dying during the preliminary rounds of the Chuunin exam, she had almost given up. It was Naruto, her class-mate and secret crush, who had inspired her to believe in herself.

He was an impossible child then, brash, hyper-active, unruly. Like the Kazekage, he had been shunned by the village, but through hard work and an unwavering belief in his own abilities, he had grown to be respected and even revered by the people of Konoha.

She had admired and loved him all through their days at the Academy, when his pranks had caused most people to despise him. She had secretly reveled in his antics, wishing that she could be so bold. She had followed him around like a love-sick puppy for years, longing for him to recognize her. She had striven to be like him, never giving up on herself, even when things seemed the most insurmountable.

By the time he finally realized that all the blushing and stuttering and fainting she did whenever he was near-by was because she loved him, it was really too late. He was already deeply in love with another former classmate, the remarkable pink-haired medical ninja, Haruno Sakura. It hurt, at that time and sometimes at this time, too, but Hinata was glad for him. He and Sakura were very happy together, and that made her happy in turn.

Now, walking leisurely home from Suna to Konoha, she looked forward to seeing him and Sakura. She knew they would be interested in hearing about the Kazekage. After being bitter enemies, Naruto and Gaara were very close friends. She smiled to herself fondly. Naruto had a knack for making people love him. Not just foolish girls like herself, but scary people like Gaara.

Although he really hadn't been scary at all. In fact, she had enjoyed working with him. He had never treated her with impatience or disrespect. She had simply been a member of the negotiation team, as important as Shikamaru, or any other person there. It was refreshing to be allowed to participate in something without someone pointing out her inadequacies.

She still felt embarrassed about her fainting spell the night before. Despite the daily inner pep-talks, she had to fight with herself regularly not to fall back into her childish timid ways. It was annoying that choking on a piece of melon had undermined her confidence.

To be honest, it probably wasn't the melon at all, that had caused her heart to stutter.

Her cheeks warmed as she remembered the feel of Gaara's strong arms around her, his elegant warm hands on her waist, his broad chest so very close to hers. His scent had surrounded her, a spicy mixture of ginger and sandalwood and fresh air that had been intoxicating.

'Really,' she chided herself, 'just because a strong man puts his hands on you –.'

"Oh, dear," she said, softly. She stopped and leaned over, putting her hands on her knees.

She had to wait a few moments before her head cleared.

"Hinata!" Shikamaru was standing next to her with his hand on her back, "are you alright?"

"Y-yes, Shikamaru," she said, "I just need a little w-water, if you don't mind."

"We'll take a break now, anyway," said Temari, "I could use something to eat."

Hinata waved Shikamaru away and stood up slowly.

Well, wasn't _that_ humiliating. She had thought she had gotten over her fainting spells.

She shook her head, laughing at herself, as she headed over to where Temari was lighting a fire to heat water.

"I'm sorry to slow you down," she said, knowing how impatient the Wind Kunoichi could be.

Temari looked over at Shikamaru who was strolling around the area picking up fire-wood to add to her little blaze. She turned back and grinned at Hinata.

"I don't mind," she said, "I'm in no hurry to get to Konoha."

Hinata smiled back and nodded. She removed her pack and sat down on a log to open it. She pulled out a scarf and laid it out on the log, arranging the bento boxes the Suna cook had prepared for them on it.

"It is nice to take our time," she said, "gives us a chance to get to know one another better." She returned Temari's sharp look with a bland one.

Temari blushed a little.

"I suppose you don't approve," she said gruffly, poking at the burning wood angrily. She turned and glared at Hinata. "Well?" she said, arrogantly.

"Well, what?" said Hinata, innocently.

Temari's eyes narrowed.

"I'm older than him," she said, "I'm from Suna, he's from Fire. A lot of people wouldn't really approve of a – of a relationship between us."

Hinata studied the older girl.

"Do you really care what people think?" she asked, genuinely curious, "do you care what I think?"

"No, of course not!" said Temari, with a sniff. She poked at the fire some more. "What _do_ you think?"

Hinata smiled.

"I think you like him, and he likes you," she said, warmly, "that's all that matters."

Shikamaru walked up to the fire and added two short branches to it, setting the others to one side. He pulled the tea kettle out of his pack, poured water from his canteen into it and set it on a rock next to the fire to heat. He sat down and folded his legs, putting one elbow on a knee and leaning his chin on his hand. He sighed with contentment, staring into the fire.

Temari sat down nearby. She accepted the bento boxes and chopsticks Hinata handed her, passing one set to Shikamaru.

Hinata pretended not to notice how their hands brushed each other, how their fingers lingered caressingly.

"So," said Shikamaru, "what were you two talking about?"

He looked annoyed when the two started to giggle.

"Women!" he said. He shrugged and opened the bento box, ignoring them as much as possible.

They ate in friendly silence for a few minutes.

Hinata was amused to see how often Temari and Shikamaru were drawn towards one another only to pull apart with a guilty glance her way.

It was kind of fun to see them try to hide their attraction, but would probably end up being quite tiring over the next week of traveling.

"I've been thinking," she said, with an innocent glance at the two, "about the way we should travel."

"Travel?" said Shikamaru, "what do you mean?" His face was already getting that 'I knew things were going to get troublesome' look on it.

Temari swatted him on the shoulder.

"What?" he said, annoyed, "I was only asking."

Hinata stifled a grin.

"I think we should just acknowledge that the two of you can't k-keep your hands off each other," Hinata ignored Shikamaru's sputter and Temari's indrawn breath of surprise, "Really, it w-will be quite tiresome if you w-worry about m-me and what I th-think about you two."

She smiled at Shikamaru's slack-jawed look of surprise.

Temari was studying her with a frown.

"So, I'm proposing that you two carry-on w-without worrying about m-me," Hinata nodded reassuringly at the couple, "you know me w-well enough, Shikamaru, to know that I'm not a gossip."

Shikamaru nodded slowly, his expression lightening. As if to show her that he was taking her at her word, he put his arm around Temari and pulled her against him gently.

Temari sighed, and relaxed into him.

"S-see?" said Hinata, "much easier, now."

Hinata took a bite of food, looking up at the sky speculatively.

"A-also," she said, "you two can use the tent Temari and I would have shared."

Shikamaru definitely brightened at that, hugging Temari enthusiastically.

"Just keep it down, okay?"

Shikamaru and Temari froze. Matching blushes crept up their faces.

Hinata smiled.

It was nice to see someone else turn red for a change.

* * *

"Oh, I forgot," said Temari, rummaging through her pack when they made camp for the night, "my brother wanted me to give this to you." She handed a rather lumpy package to Hinata.

Hinata turned the awkward wad of paper and string in her hands, studying it in the light of the campfire.

Why would Kankuro give her something? She hadn't spoken more than a few words to the man.

She frowned and undid the string and unwrapped the package cautiously

If it was Kankuro, there might be an unpleasant surprise inside. He was known for his rather crude practical jokes.

Secretly relieved that nothing exploded or stung or squirted all over her, she was surprised to find a silk drawstring bag and a small scroll. She peeked into the bag and pulled out a packet of rice paper closed with sealing wax marked with the Kazekage stamp.

Was it Gaara who sent her the package?

Her heart skipped a beat, then speeded up.

She looked up at her two companions quickly to see if they had noted her reaction.

Shikamaru was lying on the ground with his head in Temari's lap. She was running her fingers through his thick hair, now released from its usual ponytail. They were smiling at each other, talking softly.

They hadn't seen a thing except each other.

Hinata turned back to her package, suppressing the thrill of anticipation that ran through her.

She hated to open the rice paper packet, it was sealed so prettily. She unrolled the scroll instead, reading the brief note written inside eagerly.

_Hyuuga-sama,_

_Please accept this recipe for the chawan mushie you enjoyed last night. I have included some dried pumpkin which my chef tells me is his secret ingredient. Gaara._

The recipe was written beneath this curt message. Hinata recognized the beautiful calligraphy of the Kazekage. She had admired his handwriting during their meetings with the merchant lords. She had never thought to receive a hand-written note and recipe, of all things, from the Fifth Kazekage.

She smiled over the brief note. He had taken the time to search out the recipe and ingredient and send them to her. How extraordinary.

If Shikamaru or Temari had been paying attention, they would have seen their comrade blushing just as hotly as they had earlier.

* * *

Later, in the smaller tent, Hinata smiled again over the note, smoothing her finger over the script. Her fingers lingered on the characters of his name, tracing the character strokes.

_G – A – A – R- A_

Simply his name, as if from one friend to another.

She could hear Shikamaru's baritone and Temari's alto voices talking quietly in the other tent. She studiously closed her ears to any other sounds that might come from them, screening her chakra to focus on abnormal noises, instead.

She got a fresh scroll out of her pack and wet an ink stone, rolling her brush in the black liquid.

She thought for a moment before she began writing.

_Dear Kazekage,_

* * *

_**A/N: Couldn't resist getting the first letter up. **_

_**Please let me know what you think. **_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: I do not own Naruto**_

* * *

Chapter Three: Verbal Exchange

If asked what kind of man he was, Gaara would have said that he was flawed, striving to learn how to be better.

Given the same question, those closest to him, who could be counted on the fingers of one hand, would have described him as reserved, sometimes frightening, but implicitly trusted.

His enemies, and they were a dwindling number, called him an inhuman monster, slave to the violent passions he had shared with the kyuubi.

His admirers, and they were a growing number, painted him as changed, a man who put the needs of the Village Hidden in the Sand first and who had sacrificed much to become their beloved Kazekage.

Gaara had learned early, under the dreadful tutelage of the Sand Demon, the monster tanuki, that emotions led to fearful consequences. He learned from his father, who had created him and sacrificed the life of his mother to make him a jinchuriki, that he was not worthy of love. He had learned from his uncle, who had watched over him and then tried to assassinate him, that love was not to be trusted. He had learned from his sister and brother and from the people of the village that he was to be feared and shunned.

And most of all, he had learned never to trust himself.

Which was why he was suspicious of his own motivations in looking so eagerly for the mail pouch to arrive a day after the Konoha delegation had departed for home.

What was he hoping to receive?

It was a question he couldn't answer.

On the third day the disappointment was almost too much for him.

When the messenger stated, "No, Kazekage-sama, there is no additional pouch for you from the Land of Fire," Gaara had had to turn away from the look of fear on the man's face.

The cork in the sand-gourd he'd propped on the wall behind his chair rattled and the pinging sounds of sand swirling inside could be heard in the sudden deathly quiet of his office.

He gripped his hands tightly, crushing the brush he had been holding into splinters.

"You may go," he heard Baki, his sensei and advisor, dismiss the messenger.

There was a long silence.

"What was that about?" said Baki, quietly.

Gaara shrugged, not turning back to face the older man.

"Is there something I should be worried about?" Baki asked, a little more forcefully.

"No," said Gaara shortly, tossing the pieces of brush into the trash as he turned back to his desk. He pawed through the documents that had been delivered. He could feel Baki watching him carefully.

Gaara selected a scroll from the pile and opened it.

"The trade agreements we negotiated have been signed," Gaara said, pointing to the signatures at the end of the scroll.

If Baki noticed anything odd about the way Gaara was circling one small signature with his finger, he wisely said nothing.

"What have you been up to?" said Kankuro, breezily entering the office, munching dango on stick.

Gaara and Baki looked up from the scroll, both frowning at the puppet master.

"Have you been tormenting people again?" Kankuro nodded his head toward the door. "One of the messengers from Konoha is puking his guts up in the hallway."

Kankuro and Baki exchanged a look that Gaara studiously ignored.

There had been a time when Kankuro had not dared to tease his little brother, but that was long ago. It had been a long process, but the brothers cared deeply for one another and each trusted the other with his life.

"Guess you didn't get some good news?" Kankuro continued, "Waiting to hear from a certain pretty lavender eyed kunoichi?"

Gaara glared at him.

Kankuro didn't even flinch. Instead he strolled across the office and hoisted himself up to sit on wide sill of one of the many large windows that graced the office. He tossed the empty dango stick neatly into the trash.

"Hey, Baki," said Kankuro in a conspiratorial whisper loud enough to be heard throughout the room, "did you hear that Gaara has been taking cooking lessons?"

Gaara hunched his shoulders and the cork popped out of the sand gourd with a loud thwap. Grains of sand started to wisp through the room.

"Yep," said Kankuro, "It seems that my little brother has got a major cru-!" He stopped speaking with a yelp as a ribbon of sand wrapped itself loosely around his neck.

Baki stood by and watched the brothers with a frown. There had been a time when he might have tried to stop what looked like fratricide, but he had learned to step back and let them work things out on their own.

Although he did loosen a kunai in his weapons pouch, just in case.

"You know," said Kankuro, "If you kill me, I won't be able to give you this."

He pulled a small leather pouch out of his pocket and tossed it on the desk.

"It's from Temari. Thought you'd want to see it," he rubbed his neck as the sand drifted back to the gourd. "Man, you need to lighten up!" he complained.

Gaara picked up the pouch and tossed it in his hand, as if weighing the contents.

He put it back down.

"Hey, Baki-sensei," said Kankuro, hopping off the sill and clapping an arm around the older man's shoulders, "Let's get something to eat. I'm starving."

Baki hesitated for a moment, his eyes speculatively focused on Gaara.

"Come on, Sensei," Kankuro pushed him toward the door, "I'm sure Gaara will want to be alone to read his love letter."

He hastily ran out the door and slammed it shut just as a fist of sand smacked against it.

Gaara could hear him laughing down the hall.

* * *

Gaara waited until Kankuro's voice faded away.

He stared at the pouch, trying to ignore the queasy feeling in his stomach.

Was he nervous?

This was merely the kind of thing normal people did.

Exchange recipes, exchange letters, exchange – there probably were other things to exchange but he hadn't gotten there yet.

After all, there might not be a letter from Hinata in the pouch.

There probably wasn't.

He was getting all worked up over a report from Temari.

_Just open the damned thing!_

He picked up the pouch again and loosened the cord that tied it.

Inside there was a folded piece of paper and a small scroll.

He pulled out the paper and opened it.

_En route. No incidents to report._

_Temari_

The hand writing was bold and crisp.

Underneath the first message was another written much more hastily.

_Hyuuga Hinata asked me to send this to you. What the hell is going on? And if you don't tell me, I'll get Kankuro to spill the beans. You know I can do it!_

_T._

His lips twitched.

So the scroll was from Hinata.

She had actually written back to him.

He held the scroll almost reverently.

It was the first personal letter from someone who was not a family member or someone requesting a favor from the Kazekage he had received in his life.

His heart was racing uncomfortably.

He opened the scroll carefully, spreading its length across the desk. His eyes widened to see how long the letter was, then narrowed in pleasure.

_Dear Kazekage,_

He was a little disappointed she had not used his name. He had given tacit permission, by signing his name on his short note to her. Still, she had dropped the honorific.

_I was very happy and surprised to get your note and the recipe and pumpkin. I'm not sure how you talked your chef into giving it to you. Our own chef is so very frightening when it comes to anything smacking of an invasion to his kitchen that I don't bother him much. It is a shame, since I enjoy cooking. Fortunately, I sometimes cook with friends, so I hope you don't mind if I keep the recipe and try it out on Naruto and others._

_As you probably heard from your sister, our trip was very nice. I really enjoyed walking between our two countries. The transition from sand to forest is quite beautiful. At first, I found it difficult to see the beauty in your country. It all seemed to be the same color, the brown of sand. But as we walked, I noticed how the shadows on the drifts would sparkle, violet, pink, blue. I began to see that there were quite a lot of plants to be found, and Temari tells me that the flowers on some are really spectacular. _

_I was not quite as happy to see a really big spider that even my teammate, Aburame Shino, would not have appreciated, but Temari tells me that as long as I don't threaten it, it will not attack me. As if I would threaten something that was almost as big as my Aunt's cat at home… I assure you, the nightmares that hellish creature gave me are nothing to worry about. Really. And if I ran away from the ferocious beast, believe me, Shikamaru and Temari were right behind me. They tell me they were just following me to keep me safe, but I have my doubts. I mean, does anybody really like spiders? (I asked Temari already, so I know you don't like them.) Even my father is nervous around spiders, and as far as I know, he is not afraid of anything! _

_Anyway, spiders aside, our trip home was very enjoyable. I often think that I like traveling to and from home almost more than being home. When I am traveling, I am my own person, lost in my own thoughts. When I am home there are so many roles for me to play, daughter, sister, cousin, teammate, friend. There are many obligations and responsibilities. When I am traveling, my major responsibility is to get to my destination. That's all. It's a very appealing state of mind. Don't get me wrong, I love being home and I love my obligations at home. But I also enjoy that transition time, from traveler to homebody._

_That sounds kind of silly, I suppose. But I'm not going to scratch it out. I decided when I started this letter that I would just write whatever nonsense was in my head and send it to you, no matter what. I hope you don't mind._

_It's getting late and time to sleep. The breathtaking stars that watched over us in the desert are now more difficult to see through the branches of the trees near our village, but they are still beautiful. Thank you again for the lovely gift. I will let you know how well it turns out._

_Your friend, _

_ Hinata_

He read the letter through three times before tucking it into his tunic to reread later.

The first time through he was prepared to march out with exterminators to rid the desert of any spiders he saw.

The second time he chuckled quietly at her sly picture of Temari and Shikamaru running away from the spider.

The third time he felt awed that she had shared her thoughts so freely with him.

And each time through, he lingered on her last words, _your friend, Hinata._

* * *

_**A/N: Hope you liked this. And that you review. It really is great to hear your thoughts on how the story is going. **_


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: I've been asked how old Hinata and Gaara are in this. I see them as 18 or 19. After the manga as we know it and in the future. This makes them young enough to have some good teenage angst and old enough to do something about it!**_

_**P.S. I do not own Naruto.**_

* * *

**Chapter Four: Home Again, Home Again**

Hinata gave a little sigh when the three travelers passed under the gates of Hidden Leaf Village. Despite taking five days instead of the usual week, the trip home seemed too long. There was only so much she could take. It turned out that watching a young couple in love was not a spectator sport she enjoyed. She volunteered with almost indecent haste to report to the Hokage immediately, urging Shikamaru to take Temari to the Women's Dormitory to settle in.

"Don't worry, Shikamaru, Temari," she assured them, "I don't mind at all."

She didn't even smile at the definitely indecent haste the love-struck couple took up her suggestion, barely waving good-bye as they sped off in the direction of the housing units.

She strolled through the dusky village streets, enjoying the way the shops looked lit up with brightly colored lanterns for the night. Maybe when she delivered her report to Lady Tsunade, she'd delay her return to the Hyuuga compound a little longer by treating herself to dinner. It was always much easier to face her family later in the evening, when there were less people around.

She trotted up the steps of the Hokage's tower, and knocked on the main office door, opening it when she heard Tsunade's booming alto voice call, "Come!"

As was usually the case, the Fifth Hokage of Konoha was seated behind her enormous desk looking disgruntled.

"Ah, Hyuuga Hinata," said the large blonde woman, waving Hinata into the room, "You're back, I see!"

"Yes, ma'am," said Hinata, obediently stepping forward and standing at ease in front of the desk.

"Let's see, let's see," said Tsunade, vainly pushing through the piles of scrolls and stacks of paper that littered her desk, "I wanted to ask you something when you got here – where the hell is that – SHIZUNE!"

Hinata jumped a little when the door slammed open behind her and Shizune, the Hokage's hapless assistant, hurried into the room, carrying the Hokage's little pet pig, Tonton, in her arms.

"What is it, Hokage-sama?" asked Shizune, her voice breathless, "Oh, Lady Hinata, how was your visit in Suna?"

Shizune bowed politely to Hinata.

"Hu-wee!" squealed Tonton, wriggling excitedly in Shizune's arms.

Hinata gave the pig a scratching behind the ear. The pig's eyes rolled back in its head and it snuffled in pleasure.

"The visit went very w-well," said Hinata, bowing back, "The merchant group was satisfied with the trade route agreement we worked out -."

"Yes, yes," said Tsunade, loudly, "We know all about that. Got the signed scroll a couple of days ago. Very good work, I might add."

"Th-thank you, Lady Tsunade," murmured Hinata. "As to the rest of my report -."

"Anything unusual happen? No? Good!" Tsunade flipped her hand impatiently. "I'm assuming Nara Shikamaru has taken Sabaku no Temari to the Women's Dorms?"

"Y-yes, ma'am," said Hinata, frowning a little, "They will be giving you report in the morning."

Her hand paused in it's scratching and Tonton prodded her with its snout. Hinata smiled at the little pig and continued rubbing its head.

"Of course," said Tsunade, distractedly looking through the paperwork on her desk again, "Shizune, where is that thing, you know, that thing -."

"Thing?" said Shizune, looking confused. She swung around, pulling Tonton with her.

"Hu-woo," moaned Tonton, looking longingly back at Hinata.

"The THING," shouted Tsunade, "the pouch thing, you know, from Suna, where is it?"

Hinata's breath caught. She bit her lip and forced her hands to stay at her sides by clutching the bottom of her coat. Surely there wasn't an answer already to her letter? That would be absurd.

Wonderful, but absurd.

"Oh," said Shizune, her face clearing, "It's over here." She pulled a leather pouch from the in-basket on the desk, handing it to her boss.

"There it is!" crowed Tsunade, opening the pouch and pulling out a scroll and a folded piece of parchment. "It seems the Kazekage has written a letter to you." She glared at the young kunoichi standing in front of her. "He's also written a note to me. Would you like to hear what it says?"

Hinata could feel the tell-tale blush stain her cheeks and rush across her chest.

"Um," she said, "yes?"

"Well, I'll tell you," said Tsunade, unfolding the parchment and spreading it out in front of her. She peered at the writing for a moment. "It says, 'Hokage-sama, Greetings from Sabaku no Gaara, Fifth Kazekage of Suna.'"

Tsunade paused and squinted up at the rosy girl before her.

"What do you think of that greeting?"

"Um," Hinata stopped. Really, she didn't think anything of it. She was stunned and wouldn't have been able to identify any thought in her head.

"I'll go on, shall I?" Tsunade didn't wait for a reply, "'Trade negotiations were quite successful, thanks due in large part to the efforts of Hyuuga Hinata and Nara Shikamaru. You should be receiving the signed and sealed copy shortly.'"

Hinata hid her smile of pleasure at the compliment. How very kind of Gaara to write his approval to the Hokage. He certainly hadn't said anything to her remotely complementary during the trade talks.

"'Included in this pouch is a letter for Lady Hyuuga," continued Tsunade.

Hinata felt a little faint.

"'It is your right, of course, to read it, however, I hope you will not,'" Tsunade looked up again, "He hopes I will not. What do you think of that, Hinata-chan? Hmmm?"

Hinata felt a little fainter. Her hands, no longer able to cling to the bottom of her coat, flew up to her breast. Her two forefingers pressed together anxiously.

"I'm going to trust that this correspondence has nothing to do with matters concerning Konoha, Hinata," said Tusnade sternly. She held the scroll out for Hinata to take.

Hinata took a deep breath and grabbed the scroll.

"Y-you may trust me," she said, faintly, "If there is anything here that you need to see, I p-promise I will b-bring it to you immediately."

Tsunade smiled, a little evilly.

Hinata blanched, the hot color draining from her face with alarming rapidity.

"I know you will," said Tsunade, "Dismissed!"

Hinata didn't hesitate. She turned hastily and raced out of the office.

She could hear Tonton's squeal of disappointment follow her all the way down the stairs.

* * *

What was wrong with the people of Konoha tonight?

On any other return to the village, Hinata could have walked through the town without anyone noticing her, even if she'd put herself in their path. She had many painful memories of waving hello to friends and being totally ignored.

Not today.

Not when she wanted to be left alone to find a place to read the scroll in peace.

No, today, everyone wanted to say hello.

What was it, 'Acknowledge Hinata Day', for Kami's sake?

The third time someone touched her shoulder to say hello, Hinata had to keep her hands in her pockets so that she didn't activate the Gentle Fist and knock the person into the next Hidden Village.

Which was a lucky thing, since the next person to say hello was Naruto.

"Hinata," said the cheerful blonde, sweeping her up into a crushing embrace, "you're back!"

"Hello, N-naruto," choked Hinata, "how are you?"

"Naruto, put the girl down," said Sakura, clipping him in the back of his blonde head.

"Oh, sorry, Hinata, heh, heh," said Naruto, setting her down on in the street, "I'm just glad you're here!"

He turned eagerly to Sakura.

"Can I tell her? Hunh? Hunh? Can I?" he said, scratching the back of his head and grinning widely.

"I suppose," Sakura said, begrudgingly, struggling to maintain a stern expression and failing utterly.

"Hinata," said Naruto loudly, "We're getting married! Can you believe it? Sakura finally said yes!" He punched the air in his enthusiasm.

"Oh, Naruto, Sakura," said Hinata, smiling, "I'm so happy for you!" She put her hands out to Sakura who took them hesitantly.

"Hinata?" said Sakura, a little anxiously, "Are you alright with this?"

"Of course," said Hinata, hugging her friend, "You two are perfect for each other. I'm very glad for you."

Naruto wrapped his long arms around both girls, unable to contain himself.

"Come on, girls," he crowed, "Let's go celebrate! How about some ramen, my treat?"

Without waiting for a response, he started walking towards the Ichiraku Ramen Bar, sweeping the two women along with him.

* * *

Finally alone in her room, Hinata relaxed against some floor cushions.

What a surprising homecoming.

Meeting Naruto and Sakura and learning their news had been an amazing revelation to her. She had been genuinely happy for them and had not felt a moment of regret that Naruto had chosen Sakura over her. She was proud of herself. She had really moved on.

When she'd finally gotten to the Hyuuga compound after the ramen and the several congratulatory shots of sake Naruto had insisted on, she'd almost fainted when she found her father waiting up for her.

"Hinata," he'd said, in his cold cultured voice, "I'm glad you are home. The Hokage has been quite complimentary of your efforts during the negotiations with the trade delegation. You have been a credit to the clan."

He'd walked off to his rooms, leaving his daughter slack-jawed with astonishment.

Well, would wonders never cease?

She'd showered and gotten ready for bed, shaking her head over that accolade.

Still, nothing compared to getting the scroll from Gaara so soon after sending hers. The thought thrilled her and filled her with trepidation. Would he like what she wrote, or be scornful of her attempts at describing the trip? Would he mind that she made fun of Temari and Shikamaru? Would he hate that she'd given herself friendship status?

Enough, already. Time to open the scroll.

She took a deep cleansing breath and eased open the seal.

_Dear Hinata-san,_

She bit her lip in surprised pleasure to see her name written in his bold hand.

_I'm glad you were able to see the beauty of the desert. The subtle changes that transform sand into art are not always visible to those who do not look beyond the surface. I find the vastness of the desert to be very calming to the spirit, and will often spend time there in meditation. Perhaps, when you come again, I will show you some of the more scenic views that I have enjoyed._

_I'm also sorry you were frightened by the spiders. Temari was right. I am not fond of spiders. In fact, I was considering mounting an expedition to exterminate spiders that might threaten travelers when my environmental advisors strongly asked me to reconsider. It seems spiders are a necessary part of the eco-system and cannot be eliminated without dire results. Perhaps you could ask the Aburame clan if they have suggestions regarding arachnid infestations. _

_You are correct in pointing out that chefs do not like to give up their secrets. When I asked my master chef, Mitsuru Takumi, for the recipe, he was quite reluctant to write it down. It seems that the position of Kazekage meant nothing to him when it came to revealing his cherished recipe. He actually ordered me out of the kitchen._

_More surprisingly, he was completely unimpressed by my past history. It is no secret that in the past when thwarted I frequently acted in a less than conciliatory fashion. Mitsuru-san was not a member of the kitchen staff in those days. Perhaps this accounted for his lack of fear. _

_Other kitchen staff members quickly supplied him with whispered tales of my actions._

_He remained obstinately opposed to parting with his recipe._

_It came down to a staring match. _

_I stood in his kitchen, glaring at him. _

_He stood in my kitchen, glaring back._

_I must admit that I was about to give up in defeat. It would not have helped my improving reputation to crush the man, although the thought crossed my mind._

_Suddenly he asked why I wanted this particular recipe._

_I told him that one of the Konoha delegation members had complemented the dish._

_His face lit up like the desert after a rainstorm._

'_Ah, you must mean the Lady Hyuuga!' he said. 'Why didn't you tell me that in the first place?'_

_He immediately wrote down the recipe and packaged up the dried pumpkin._

_It seems you have another friend in Suna._

_ Gaara_

Another friend in Suna.

Her heart skipped a beat.

He mentioned showing her his special places when she came back to Suna. Almost like a…date.

He slyly made fun of himself and the past, yet she thought he revealed the pain that past brought him still. She felt a rush of anger at the whisperers filling the chef in on Gaara's misdeeds. How dare they? Surely they could see how different he was now.

She was full of admiration at how he managed to get the recipe and touched that he made her the reason why he was able to obtain it, discounting his own influence.

And he saw himself as her friend.

She was hit with a small moment of doubt.

That was what he meant, wasn't it? Another friend in Suna? The chef was one friend?

And Gaara – Gaara was another?

* * *

_**A/N: Well, I hope you like this chapter. Let me know what you think…I really do enjoy reading your thoughts.**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: This chapter took a long time. I actually had started in a totally different direction and needed to scrap my original chapter. You may think that I'm making Gaara quite OC, but I wanted to give him the opportunity to grow as a person rather than a vessel. Besides, it's more fun to have him learn to express all the emotions that are churning within!**_

_**Note: I do not own Naruto.**_

* * *

Chapter 5: Sibling Rivalry

Baki watched sternly as the brothers faced off on the training field.

"What's the matter, Slim Jim?" taunted Kankuro, "Not so scary, now, are you little sandman? Now that Baki made you put down your gourd?"

Kankuro raced toward his younger brother, feinting left then dropping down to sweep Gaara's legs out from under him.

Baki watched critically, his arms folded over his chest. It was typical of Kankuro that he'd make the first move. He was always impatient.

Gaara leapt up and used Kankuro's head to vault over.

"Yeah, yeah," he scoffed, "Big words, Barbie." He flipped, landing on his hands behind Kankuro and mule-kicked him, knocking him to the ground. "Too bad Baki made you leave your dollies at home." He rolled forward and jumped to his feet, narrowly missing Kankuro's head-butt. "We could be having a tea-party – shit!"

Gaara took the hit to the chest and rolled with it, clamping down on Kankuro's arm and swinging him around. He slammed Kankuro face-down on the ground and put him in an arm-lock, bending Kankuro's wrist back.

"I don't think so, Pinocchio," he said, grinning.

Kankuro bucked, pulling a knee up to give him some leverage.

"You think you're so smart, you little tick," he panted, pushing off and falling back onto Gaara.

"Oh, yeah, I'm smart," said Gaara, scooting back and wrapping his legs around Kankuro's neck. "Smart enough to kick the crap out of you!"

Baki watched the two smash around the field with an indulgent softening of the face.

Several months before he had insisted that they start training again. He'd told them they were getting soft and too dependent on their Ninjutsu. He'd set the ground rules: they were to rely on Taijutsu primarily. No sand, no puppets, no chakra strings. Chakra could be used to vault or head up trees, but could not enhance punches or other strikes. There was one final rule.

Murder was not to be tolerated. Period.

He'd looked sternly at the two, who had shifted under his cold glare.

He didn't tell them his true object, although he suspected they knew.

He wanted to give them the opportunity to continue to grow as brothers. To trust one another. Even to play.

Besides, he enjoyed hearing their insults. He'd always known that Kankuro had a smart mouth, but damn if Gaara hadn't exhibited some real creativity when it came to trash talk. It seemed he had a natural talent that just needed a chance to grow. Well, the boy had always been smart, even though it had been hard to tell in the bad old days.

He watched them now, heading towards him. Kankuro was favoring his left leg while Gaara was wiping blood off a split lip. Sweat ran down their faces and made spiky points of their hair. They were dirty and smelly and the laundry staff was not going to be happy about the tattered knees in both boys' pants.

But they were glowing with health, laughing at one another, jostling shoulders as they jogged towards their sensei. Handsome, strong, smart young men. Warrior ninjas that represented the best of Suna.

Baki gritted his teeth against the surge of sentiment that threatened.

He owed these boys, and their sister, more than he could ever repay. He would never give back enough to make up for his guilt.

He had stood by while the Fourth Kazekage had sealed the Sand demon in his own new-born son. He had not interfered when the Fourth ordered his brother-in-law, Yashamaru, to assassinate Gaara. He had turned away from the loneliness and pain all the Sand Siblings had suffered. He had let the child Gaara drown in the evil bijuu's grip.

He had been a failure as a sensai.

Looking now at the boys, he vowed again to do everything in his power to give them some of what had been denied them.

Even if it meant getting up before the crack of dawn and listening to them bad-mouth each other.

* * *

Gaara pulled his arm across his chest, stretching the shoulder muscle out. Damn, but it felt good to train again. When Baki had suggested the morning trainings he had tried to put it off. He had an almost compulsive need to get to work. Sitting behind his desk facing the problems of his nation gave him a sense of peace and contentment that he rarely felt in other situations. He'd begrudgingly given in to his former sensei, sensing that this was something very important to the older man.

To his surprise, he had found it to be a time he looked forward to eagerly.

At first, it had been difficult, but Baki had been right when he'd said that he needed work on his taijutsu and chakra control. It was amazing how much effort it took just to refrain from using the sand. The daily exercise had increased his chakra manipulation exponentially.

But it wasn't just the training that drew him to the field, shivering in the cold pre-dawn.

It wasn't even the relief of rising from a night of fitful sleep.

No, what really motivated him was the chance to out-smack talk his smart ass brother.

There was a time when he thought he'd never be able to match Kankuro.

It had taken awhile for him to come up with insults that worked and sounded natural. He'd decided on a plan that involved watching a lot of 'buddy movies'. His favorites were the 'Lethal Weapon' series. Lots of violence and insults. A winning combination.

He'd found that the friendly rivalry between him and Kankuro served him well during his working day. He was able to tolerate other people better, converse more easily. He would never be completely comfortable with people; he wasn't like Naruto, who had a knack of getting to know people effortlessly. Still, Gaara felt that he'd certainly improved over the past three years, since the Akatsuki had removed the Sand Demon from him.

Having an evil kyubi as part of one's psyche stifled a lot of conversational opportunities.

Now, he felt almost relaxed, as he reviewed a number of requests for Sand ninjas. A C-rank escort for a bride traveling to her new home in another part of the Land of Wind. A B-rank mission to investigate a series of break-ins at one of the daimyo's compounds. An A-rank mission to infiltrate a group of rogue ninjas who were kidnapping and murdering members of several merchant supply trains along the newly established trade route.

Gaara reviewed the list of available genin, chunin and jounin-ranked shinobi, selecting the best combinations of skills and abilities to complete the mission assignments. He sent out staff to notify each group and prepared the mission scrolls for them.

He enjoyed this part of the job, although he did sometimes wish that he were able to go out on a mission. Still, he was participating on a fundamental level, setting the groundwork to provide his shinobis with the tools they would need to accomplish their goals.

While waiting for the teams to meet with him for their orders, he reviewed a proposal to improve the medical benefits for retired shinobi. He immersed himself in the figures, frowning over the lack of resources available to shinobi who had risked their lives to protect the people of Sunagakure. It was certainly clear that something would need to be done. He made some notes on the margins of the plans, jotting down a date to meet with the proposal group.

He looked up in surprise when the first mission team knocked on the door for their briefing.

* * *

Several hours later, Kankuro strolled in, dressed in a complete Bunraku outfit, Kabuki make-up and with his puppet scrolls slung across his back.

"You ready?" he said, standing by the door.

Gaara looked up from writing and stared at his brother.

"What?" he said, frowning.

"Are you ready?" said Kankuro, shifting his weight from foot to foot impatiently.

"Ready for what?" said Gaara, turning back to his paper.

"You're supposed to address the senior class at the Academy today, remember?" Kankuro grinned evily. "No way you're getting out of this, little brother."

Gaara groaned and ran his hand through his hair.

"Is that today?" he said, "Great. I was just making some headway with this proposal for a new water treatment plant that –."

Kankuro held up his hand hastily.

"Don't even start," he said, "just get your skinny butt out of the chair and let's get going."

Gaara sighed and put down his brush. He stood up and walked over to a small closet that held a number of garments for more formal occasions and changed into a dark burgundy robe. He pulled a comb through his hair and slung his sand gourd over his shoulder, heading out the door.

This was a part of the job he did not enjoy so much. Speaking in front of groups. Still, like trash talk, each time got a little easier.

Now, what was he going to say to the group of eager young almost-shinobis?

He didn't think 'Work hard, study hard and suck it up' was going to be enough.

* * *

Gaara paused before walking out in front of the restless students.

"Nervous?" whispered Kankuro.

Gaara didn't answer.

A big 'hell, yeah' would have seemed out of character.

Appearing before any group always brought back the memories of rejection and fear he'd endured as a child. He squared his shoulders and settled into his usual stoic persona. It was something he'd perfected long ago to protect himself. Better to be seen as cold and aloof than the quivering frightened child that huddled within.

"Don't worry," said Kankuro, "You'll be fine. Oh, man! Wait, you've got a little-." He brushed off something on Gaara's chest.

Gaara looked down frowning, watching his brother's hand rub the cloth. The robe should have been pristine. He would need to speak to the laundry staff tomorrow -

He reared back as Kankuro flipped his hand up Gaara's nose.

"Made you look," snickered his brother.

"Moron!" hissed Gaara, the sand in his gourd rattling ominously.

"That's Puppet Moran to you, short stuff," said Kankuro, loftily. "Sorry. Couldn't help myself. You were looking way too serious."

"Should I say thanks?" growled Gaara.

The Academy principle finished his introduction and looked at Gaara expectantly.

"Listen," said Kankuro, with an unusually serious expression, "Forget all the standard crap. Tell them what it means to _you_ to be a shinobi. You've worked harder and sacrificed more than anyone to protect this village. Let them know why." He shoved his startled brother out in front of the waiting children.

Gaara stumbled a moment and looked out over the crowd of young faces.

He glanced back at his brother.

He was stunned.

Kankuro believed that he had something to say about himself that was worthwhile.

If he were the kind of person who reacted to sentimental things, he'd have tears running down his face.

* * *

The talk had gone unbelievably well.

He had taken Kankuro's advice and had spoken to the children about his own struggles and how he had learned to overcome them and become a strong shinobi who put the welfare of Sunagakure first.

The children had hung on every word.

So had the adults who had come to hear the former jinchuriki speak.

After the talk, he and Kankuro had demonstrated their ninjutsu techniques, editing certain moves that were too violent for younger children to observe.

The most rewarding moment had been when the entire audience had cheered and applauded them.

After the demonstration, Gaara was surrounded by children and some adults, eager to ask him questions and to tell him what they hoped to accomplish and how much they liked what he had said. He made a point of listening and responding to every person who approached him.

Once he and Kankuro left the Academy grounds, he transported himself to the quiet of his office.

He needed to immerse himself in the comfort of solitary work.

He had been touched by the children's enthusiasm and obvious admiration.

He had been devastated by Kankuro's words.

He was utterly exhausted.

He could feel emotions that he usually kept sternly clamped down, bubble up.

Pride, fear, happiness, terror.

It was almost too much to bear.

* * *

The golden rays of the setting sun slanted in through the office windows. The dusty air sparkled in the bronze light. The room was quiet except for Gaara's steady breathing and the brush of his hand across paper.

Gaara looked up at the knock at the door, blinking owlishly in the fading light.

"Come," he said, setting down his pen and stretching his shoulders.

The door opened and Jiro, one of his office staff, poked his head into the room. He looked around the room nervously.

"Sir," said Jiro, "the messenger has arrived from Konoha. Nothing is marked urgent. Do you want to wait until morning to -"

"Bring them here," growled Gaara, standing up.

Jiro walked hastily into the room and set the leather message pouch on the desk. He stood awkwardly in front of the desk.

"Do you need anything else, Lord Kazekage?" he said.

"No," said Gaara, "Dismissed."

Jiro turned sharply and hurried to the door.

"Oh," said Gaara.

Jiro paused at the door, his shoulders hunched.

"You may turn on the lights, please," said Gaara.

Jiro flipped the switch by the door and the harsh overhead fluorescent strip lights flickered on.

"Will that be all?" asked Jiro.

Gaara studied the thin man standing by the door.

"Yes, Jiro," he said, "thank you."

Jiro looked at him in surprise.

"You know my name – I mean, you're welcome, sir," stammered Jiro, "Good night, sir."

"Good night," Gaara watched the man slip out the door.

Had he really been that bad?

He knew all of his staff by name.

He just didn't feel comfortable using names. It seemed so personal.

He shrugged. All this emotional insight was tiring.

Gaara pulled the pouch towards him and emptied the contents on his desk, enjoying the feeling of pleasurable anticipation.

Perhaps there would be another letter from Hinata.

The first scroll was poorly sealed and started to unroll before he reached for it.

_Hey, there, little brother,_

_Thought I'd let you know how things are going here in the land of leafy green. Not so green at the moment. It is so flipping cold here! People look at me strangely when I enter a room wrapped in three scarves, a heavy coat, mittens and heavy boots. I just glare at them. It usually works._

_I'm staying in a little apartment in the Women's Dormitory. It's pretty nice, although I don't spend much time there. Usually, I'm at the Academy or getting together with friends._

_Yes, friends. It's an unusual concept, I know, but, gotta say, I really like it._

_I hang out a lot with Uzemaki Naruto and his fiancé, Haruno Sakura, and some of their friends. Did you know Naruto and Sakura were engaged? You remember Sakura, right? The girl with the pink hair? If you haven't heard about the engagement, I'm sorry I tattled. Pretend you didn't know, okay?_

_The work at the Academy is really interesting. I'm getting a lot of great ideas to bring back home. The Hokage has asked me to provide genin with wind natures some extra tutoring. It's a challenge, especially because I have to be nice all the time! Hey! I heard that snort. I can be nice. Most of the time…_

_Anyway, hope to see you soon. There's some talk about a betrothal party so I guess you and the Idiot Savant will be invited._

_Speaking of the Idiot Savant, how is he? If you see him, tell him I told Katsumi or Kayemo or K-something, you know, that annoying girl he was dating, about his little STD problem before I left. _

_Not really, but tell him anyway. It'll be funny._

_See you later, Temari_

A chatty letter from Temari. That was about as rare as a monsoon on the desert. Gaara read the letter over again, wondering what she had left out. Probably something about the other friends she was hanging out with.

No doubt she would be appalled if she knew he was quite aware of her relationship with Nara Shikamaru.

Still, it was nice to get something cheerful from her. No need to speak with Nara about his intentions towards his sister at this point.

Not until he screwed up.

Gaara was pleased to read about his friend's engagement.

If anyone deserved to be happy, it was Naruto.

He considered passing on Temari's message to Kankuro. It would be funny. He stored the thought away until the morning. No point in wasting a good insult.

He opened up a folded piece of parchment and worked through the contents. Poor spelling and worse penmanship. And he had never seen so many exclamation points in one document. He smiled.

_Gaara!_

_Guess what! I'm engaged! To Haruno Sakura!_

_I can not beleiv it!_

_You are so invited! _

_I let you know when the big day is coming!_

_Your freind, Uzemaki Naruto_

Only Naruto would send an engagement announcement in such a haphazard way.

Gaara shook his head, thinking about his spontaneous friend. This would be one interesting marriage.

One last scroll to go.

It was neatly sealed and very tidy.

Gaara savored the rush of pleasure, knowing that Hinata had written to him. The day had been long and emotionally draining, full of surprises. Somehow, getting a letter from Hinata filled him with relief.

_Dear Gaara-san,_

_I was so happy to get your letter so soon after mine. It made the return home so much more pleasurable._

_Please don't exterminate the spiders. As much as I don't like them, I would hate for the eco-system to be out of balance. To tell the truth, I can't bear to kill one myself. Whenever a spider gets into the house, I'm called upon to take care of it. Everyone else seems to think I'm the expert at eliminating bugs. Even Neji. People hand me swatters and rolled up newspapers to crush the interloper, while I get my trusty drinking glass. Yes, I wrote drinking glass. It is the best way I know to remove a little creature from the house and get it unharmed back to nature. I pop the glass over the offender, slide a piece of cardboard underneath and carry it out to the garden. There is a real moment of satisfaction when the insect takes off and lands on a leaf or hops away into a bush. I know it seems silly, to feel that way about a spider, but I do. Even a spider can be grateful for another chance, don't you think?_

_Please thank your chef again for the wonderful recipe. I made the chawan mushie for Naruto and Sakura the other night. We enjoyed it very much. Even Naruto. Although I suspect that he snuck out after I left for ramen to top it off. He really has a ramen compulsion, doesn't he? Also, I have included a blend of tea for you and for your chef as a thank you for the recipe. The blend uses flowers from our gardens to enhance the black tea. It is a clan specialty I hope you will enjoy._

_Now that I am back, I have settled into my usual daily routine. I train with my team-mates, if they are not on a mission, train with Neji and my sister, Hanabi, fulfill my clan responsibilities, and think about what else I could be doing. I think my life is pretty dull. No wonder I enjoy traveling! I'm thinking about asking Lady Tsunade for a job, maybe at the hospital or the Academy. I really like to be useful. Besides, I need interesting things to include in my letters. I'm sure you do not want to hear me complaining about how boring my day is._

_I probably should warn you that Lady Tsunade has no doubt read your letter to me. Actually, I think her assistant, Shizune-san and Lady Tsunade's pet pig, Tonton, have read it, too. Have you met Tonton? She is a very nice little pig who is known for her elegant red vest and tasteful string of pearls. She is also Lady Tsunade's constant companion. It's a little mortifying to know that a pig has been privy to one's private correspondence. Still, who is she going to tell? We are a talented ninja village, but as far as I know, there isn't a clan that specializes in squeals. _

_I hope to hear from you soon, _

_Your friend, Hinata._

Gaara smiled, thinking of quiet Hinata as the go-to person when it came to dealing with bugs. He suspected that she was often the go-to person when it came to dealing with problems. People scoffed at her gentle nature, but he was certain that they depended on her good sense, even when it came to giving a spider a second chance.

He opened one of the two little packets that fell out of the center of the scroll and breathed in the enticing fragrance deeply. Strong black tea, jasmine and – rose geranium, maybe? Whatever it was, it smelled delightful. He made a mental note to take the tea down to the kitchen later. The chef would certainly appreciate it.

He frowned over her gentle complaints. She didn't feel useful? He understood completely about how it felt to need to serve. It was a need that drove him every day. But it troubled him that she felt unimportant.

What was all that about the pig? He did vaguely remember seeing some animal in the Hokage's office. He hadn't paid much attention to it. Pets had never been a part of his childhood, for obvious reasons. Shukaku would never have tolerated them. Was Hinata joking about the pig reading the letter? For some reason, the thought made him very uncomfortable.

He wasn't going to even begin to think about the pearls.

He settled back in his chair and re-read her letter several times, smiling at her wry sense of humor.

He turned his chair and gazed out at the village spread out below his window, watching as the street lanterns bloomed on, wondering how he could tell her how much her letters meant to him.

More than he would ever be able to express.

* * *

_**A/N: Oh, right. As Gaara notes, the misspellings are all Naruto's. At least in his note. Any others are solely mine.**_

_**Please review. It helps me keep on track.**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: Onward and Upward! Thank you so much for the great reviews! I hope you like this chapter, as well. I've changed the name of one of Chouji's jutsus. Don't worry, it is essentially the same; just a little more descriptive. You'll understand why when you get there. That being said, beware adult humor in this chapter.**_

_**P.S. I do not own Naruto.**_

* * *

Chapter Six: Resolve

"I don't get it, Hinata," said Inuzuka Kiba, scratching Akamaru's stomach. The enormous white nin-dog groaned in pleasure as Kiba dug his nails into a particularly itchy spot. The dog's topmost hind leg kicked wildly while the undermost hind leg waggled helplessly in sympathy. "You seem awful busy to me. How come you want another job?"

Hinata sighed inwardly. She'd explained this several times. How many more would it take before Kiba left the topic and moved on?

"Kiba," said Aburame Shino, sharply, "she's explained this to you at least three times. Enough."

Kiba grinned wolfishly at his petite team-mate. His long incisors glinted in the morning light.

"Sorry, Hinata," he said, "I guess you have your reasons. I'm just worried you won't have time to train with us."

"Oh, Kiba," said Hinata, "I train with you whenever you and Sh-Shino are home. But you go on more m-missions than I do. I need something else t-to keep me busy."

"I guess," sighed Kiba.

He stopped scratching and selected another pastry from the box Hinata had brought with her to the training field. She watched some of Akamaru's long white hairs settle onto the black sesame mochi she had been planning on snagging before she left. Hinata shuddered inwardly and mentally kicked herself for not remembering to bring individual pastry boxes.

"What kind of job are you going to ask the Hokage for, anyway?" said Kiba, licking his fingers.

Hinata looked deliberately downward. One would think, after all these years, that she would be used to seeing Kiba ingest dog hair.

She wasn't.

Once she'd dreamed that she had to take Kiba to the hospital where Sakura removed a huge hairball. The hairball had come to life and chased her, barking, down shadowy hallways. After that, it had made his indifferent dining habits more difficult to overlook.

"I already did ask her," said Hinata, shyly. "I'm substituting for Takegumi-san. She's going on maternity leave and I'll be taking over the K-kindergarten class for her until the end of the y-year."

Kiba stopped chewing and stared at her in disbelief.

"The Kindergarten! Are you crazy?" he gasped. "Those kids are brutal! I remember when I was in Kindergarten. We drove the teacher nuts."

Hinata frowned at him reprovingly.

"I remember," she said, shaking her head. "I was there, too. You were always getting in trouble for d-digging holes on the playground."

"Oh, yeah," said Kiba, grinning, "The teacher – what was her name?"

"Neshido-san," said Shino.

"That's right," said Kiba, "Neshido-san. She twisted her ankle in one of the holes and spanked me right in front of the whole class." Kiba rubbed his bottom nostalgically. "I hated that bitch."

"She was p-pretty unpleasant," said Hinata. She had her own painful memories of the bitter old woman making her stand up and recite tongue-twisters. No matter how hard she had tried to master the phrases without stuttering, her nervousness had tied her tongue more than ever. The humiliation was still deep and painful.

"She was a terrible teacher," said Shino, his deep voice unusually vehement.

"Oh, that's right," said Hinata, "She m-made you sit at the back of the room."

"She said that the kikai were unsanitary," said Shino darkly.

"Bitch," said Kiba.

The others nodded their heads in agreement.

"Well, I'm n-not going to be like that," said Hinata, firmly.

"As if," Kiba snorted, "Hinata, you haven't got a mean bone in your body. Those kids are going to love you."

"My nephew, Shinji, is in that class," said Shino, "I will ask him to behave."

"Thank you, Shino," said Hinata. She stood up, brushing dust off her sweat pants. "I need to get home and change. I'm m-meeting with Iruka-sensei this morning to go over my responsibilities."

"Thanks for the pastries, Hina-chan," said Kiba, stuffing the last one in his mouth. He jumped up and handed her the empty box. "C'mon, Akamaru, Ma wants us home. She thinks Shiroki's gonna whelp today."

Akamaru leapt up beside him with a soft 'wuff'. He leaned his big body against Hinata's hip and licked her hand.

"Bye, Akamaru," Hinata patted Akamaru's head, "You good dog."

Kiba and Akamaru trotted off the training field.

"Kiba," called Hinata, "See you t-tomorrow?"

"Nope," shouted Kiba, waving, "On a mission! Catch you guys later!"

Hinata watched them flash away through the branches of trees, shaking her head.

"And you wonder why I n-need a job," murmured Hinata. She turned back to her other companion. Shino was standing quietly, as inscrutable as ever.

"Hinata-chan," said Shino, "I wanted to ask you something. About Naruto and Sakura."

Hinata smiled up at the tall man.

"D-don't worry, Shino," she said, warmly, "I'm fine. I'm happy for him and Sakura."

"I know that you are a person who conceals your feelings, as I am known to do," said Shino.

Hinata lifted an eyebrow. _No _one concealed their feelings like Shino. Except for the rest of the Aburame clan, who were all famous for their enshrouding clothing and ubiquitous dark glasses.

"It was not so long ago that you declared your love for Naruto," continued Shino.

Hinata considered interrupting him again, but decided against it. It was always better for Shino to complete his thought. If not, he would stubbornly return again and again to whatever subject was on his mind until he was satisfied.

"I am concerned for you, Hinata," said the stoic bug-nin. A few kikai crawled out onto his shoulder and hummed in agreement. "You have loved Naruto for a long time."

Hinata put her arms around her friend and hugged him.

"Thank you, Shino," she said, rubbing her cheek against his chest. There had been a time when she'd wished she had fallen for Shino instead of Naruto. At least he was aware of her. He wrapped his long arms around her, patting her gently on the back. "I'm s-so glad you are my friend. Yes, I loved N-naruto for a long time, and, in a way, I still love him. But I realized that I need s-someone to love me, too. Naruto couldn't d-do that. He loves Sakura."

They stood for a moment hugging each other before Shino broke away. He had never been comfortable with someone invading his personal space.

"Very well, then," said Shino, "I must go. I also have a mission that needs preparation. I wish you luck in your endeavors at the Kindergarten. Please let me know if Shinji misbehaves."

He flashed off into the leafless trees heading for the Aburame clan compound.

Hinata watched him flicker out of sight, smiling softly.

She was lucky in her friends.

Shino and Kiba were like brothers to her and she trusted them implicitly. It touched her that they were concerned for her feelings about Naruto. They had supported her all those years when she had suffered from unrequited love. It still made her blush, to think how foolishly she had behaved.

She wondered for a moment if she should tell them about her correspondence with Gaara.

Better not. She trusted them implicitly, but she wasn't stupid.

There was no way they would leave her alone about _that _friendship.

* * *

"I was thinking," said Umino Iruka, Hinata's former Academy instructor and current Academy principal, "if you could start work on Monday, the transition from Keiko-san to you would be much easier."

"Thank you, Sensai, I will be happy to start on Monday," murmured Hinata, politely. If he asked her, she'd help today. Without pay. She couldn't wait to get started.

They walked through the quiet Academy corridor together.

The Kindergarten was on the ground floor of the Academy, near the playground and the bathrooms. Shortly after becoming the Academy principal, Iruka had relocated the lower level classes to the ground floor. He pointed out the benefits of the room placement to Hinata. A short walk to the playground meant fewer lost children. And a short trip to the bathrooms meant fewer clothing changes. Thinking back on a few memorable incidents from her own childhood, Hinata had to agree that the Kindergarten was very strategically located.

"Here is the Kindergarten," said Iruka, smiling pleasantly down at Hinata. He knocked at the door, waiting politely for the teacher to respond before pulling the door open. "Keiko-san, I'd like you to meet Hyuuga Hinata, your replacement for the rest of the term."

Hinata liked the pregnant teacher immediately. Iruka left the two women to become acquainted, asking Hinata to stop by before she left. Hinata barely noticed him leaving.

Takegumi Keiko was a slender young woman with silky black hair and bright black eyes. She had a sweet voice and a sweeter smile that drew children to her. Although already large with pregnancy, she moved with a gentle grace that was a pleasure to see.

"Please, call me Keiko," insisted the young woman, as she showed Hinata around the room. "I'm so happy you will be helping me out. I would hate it if the children had someone like my old Kindergarten teacher."

"That wouldn't have b-been Neshido-san, would it?" asked Hinata, hesitantly.

Keiko turned and looked at her in surprise.

"Yes, it would," she said, "Did you have her, too?"

Hinata nodded solemnly. The two looked at each other carefully before Keiko burst into giggles.

"We used to think she was a witch," Keiko giggled, "I hated coming to school. We'll have a lot to talk about. Well, things have changed since then, thank the gods" said Keiko cheerfully. "Let me show you around the room."

Hinata spent the rest of the afternoon happily learning the Kindergarten routine. She forgot about meeting with Iruka and was surprised when he showed up at the classroom door when she was putting little chairs up on the tables while Keiko put away books and covered poster paint containers.

"Oh, I'm so s-sorry, Iruka-sensei," she said, anxiously, "I l-lost track of t-time-."

Iruka held up his hand and beamed at his newest instructor.

"I'm not sorry at all," he said, warmly, "I knew you would be perfect for this position. So, I can expect you on Monday?"

"Oh, yes," said Hinata, smiling back, "I'll be here."

* * *

Hinata sipped her icy drink of plum wine and soda, listening while Yamanka Ino lectured her longtime friend, Sakura, on how to lay down the law to Naruto before the wedding.

"I'm telling you, Sakura," said Ino earnestly, tossing her long ash-white hair over her shoulder and fixing burning blue eyes on her pink-haired companion, "now's the time for you to set the ground rules. You know what a knuckle-head Naruto is. If you don't start drilling what you want into his head now, it'll be too late after the wedding."

"Sweet Kami, Ino," said Sakura irritably, "I don't want to turn him into another Chouji." Sakura signaled to the bartender to bring her another bottle of sake.

Ino bristled.

"What do you mean, turn him into another Chouji?" she huffed, "He is a perfect gentleman, always. Sees to my every whim! You should be so lucky!"

"Ino, Ino," said Tenten, shaking her head and topping up her cup with some of the new bottle of sake, "We all know how whipped Chouji is. He follows you around like a puppy dog."

"What's so wrong with that?" said Ino, sharply, lifting her chin and glaring at the tom-boyish kunoichi, "Of course, he's not a cold fish like Neji. Honestly, I can't imagine what it would be like to be dating that arrogant icicle. How much begging do you have to do before he even kisses you good-night?"

"Hey," said Tenten, "I never beg! Besides, still waters run deep, if you know what I mean. Anyway, I can't imagine how you and Chouji manage getting it on. I mean, the guy is so, uh-."

"Big?" said Ino, with a self-satisfied smirk, "Exactly. Listen, girls, you know that Mighty Appendage Enlargement jutsu?"

"Yeah?" said Tenten blankly.

Ino lifted a pale eyebrow and stared at her.

"Think about it…" she suggested.

Tenten and Sakura looked at each other, frowning. In keeping with her medical experience, Sakura was the first to take the thought to the inevitable. Her jaw dropped open.

Tenten and Sakura squealed loudly, causing several of the bar patrons to look over their way.

Hinata sputtered into her drink.

"Ino," laughed Sakura, "You're terrible. You almost made poor Hinata choke!"

Ino pounded Hinata on the back, ignoring her protests.

"I'm not kidding, Sakura," said Ino, continuing with her earlier conversation. "Start training Naruto, now. You will save yourself a lot of trouble later on, believe me."

"Sakura," said Hinata, moving away from Ino's persistent blows to her back, "I was w-wondering if you had th-thought about having an engagement party?"

"I don't know," sighed Sakura, "It's just so expensive, you know? I don't think I'll have the time or money to pull something together."

"Well," said Hinata, hesitantly, "I was thinking of asking my father if I could give you and N-naruto a party at our house."

The other girls froze, staring at the smaller girl.

"Really?" said Ino, the first to recover, "Won't it be hard for you to do that? I mean, after all, you've been in love with Naruto for years. Won't it be kind of uncomfortable?"

Hinata's eyes narrowed as a rush of resentment flooded her. Kami, was everyone going to harp on her long crush forever?

"I think I can m-manage it," she said, dryly. She turned back to Sakura. "Besides, I want to do something for you two."

"Hinata," said Sakura, her green eyes glowing, "That would be wonderful! Do you think your father will agree?"

"I think so," said Hinata, with more confidence than she actually felt. Her father, Hiashi, could be tricky to deal with, but she thought she could talk him into it. She pushed at Ino with her hip, sliding along the bench of their booth to get out. "I have to get going," she said, smiling around the table at the others, "I'll let you know tomorrow, Sakura, okay?"

She walked out of the bar with her head up, ignoring how her friends leaned over the table to whisper as she left.

She really did not want to be with them for one moment longer.

Yes, she had been a pathetic loser who had followed Naruto around longing for him to notice her. But, Kami, she'd gotten over it a while ago. She was sick and tired of explaining herself.

"Hinata, wait a moment!"

Hinata stopped on the pavement, clenching her fists in silent fury. She whirled around almost knocking Tenten down.

"I have had enough!" she shouted, "No, I don't love Naruto anymore! Yes, I'm happy they are getting married! Now, quit asking if I'm alright!"

Tenten pulled back and slowly nodded her head.

"Okay, then," she said, "Good to know."

Hinata turned away and stalked off towards home.

Tenten followed a couple of paces behind her.

"Uh, Hinata," said Tenten, hesitantly. She winced when Hinata wheeled around furiously. "Mind if I walk with you? I'm meeting Neji."

Hinata frowned.

"Really!" said Tenten, quickly, "I'm meeting him outside your compound."

Hinata turned back and walked more slowly, allowing the older girl to catch up.

They walked in silence for a couple of minutes, each deep in their own thoughts.

"So, you're really okay -?" started Tenten. She stumbled against Hinata's back as the petite Hyuuga stopped in her tracks. "Wow, I didn't know people could really gnash their teeth like that. Okay, okay, I'll stop bugging you."

Hinata growled.

"I'll tell Neji to back off, too, okay?" said Tenten, hastily, "Promise."

"Fine!" said Hinata, shortly.

They reached the Hyuuga compound. Neji was standing at the entrance to the grounds leaning against one gate post, blowing onto his hands. He stood up as the girls approached.

"There you are," he said, frowning at Tenten. "I thought you said you would only be out for a little while. You're late."

Hinata paused at the door and looked her cousin up and down. Her eyes narrowed.

"N-neji!" she said, sharply. He turned and stared at her, startled at her tone. "N-neji, I want you to know that I am completely over N-naruto and I don't want to hear another word about it!"

She stomped past him and headed towards the main house.

"What did _I_ do?" she heard him say grumpily, as she marched up the steps to the main entrance.

* * *

Hyuuga Hiashi frowned at Hinata's noisy entrance.

He could see her kick her boots off loudly and fling her coat roughly onto the wooden peg in the vestibule. She slipped her feet into house sandals and walked briskly towards her room.

He set his tea cup down and debated calling her back to reprimand her on disturbing the evening's tranquility.

It was very unlike her. Still, discipline must be maintained.

"Hinata!" he called, sternly.

She turned slowly, clasping her hands to her breast.

"Yes, F-father?" she said, her voice tense.

He looked at her stormy, pale face and decided not to press her.

"Good-night, daughter," he said, and was rewarded by the look of surprised gratitude and pleasure she gave him.

"Good-night, father," she said, quietly, smiling shyly. She looked for a moment as though she was going to add something, but she turned away instead and walked to her room.

She was, and always had been, a very compliant child. If anything, too compliant. He had tried everything to toughen her up. He had pointed out her weaknesses and short-comings without fail, hoping to correct them.

He had, in fact, followed the same parenting method that had been used on him and on generations of Hyuugas before him.

Once he had decided in favor of Hanabi as the clan heir, he had stopped pressuring Hinata to become the kind of person the clan demanded. And subsequently found that he had overlooked the kind of strong leader she might have become.

In the past couple of years he had come to believe that the Hyuuga method of parenting was basically and terribly flawed.

* * *

Hinata was pleased and surprised to find her father at the breakfast table the next morning. Lately, he'd seemed to be there almost every day. She had come to look forward to speaking with him quietly about clan affairs.

This would be her opportunity to ask him about the party.

She served him tea and filled her own cup.

"Father," she said shyly.

"Hmm?" said Hiashi, studying the morning paper.

She paused, taking a deep breath.

"I would l-like to give an engagement party for Uzemaki N-naruto and Haruno Sakura, please," she said, rushing the words and blushing.

"Hmm?" said Hiashi, again looking up and frowning. "What was that?"

"A party. I w-would like to give one, please," said Hinata, breathlessly. She forced herself to look directly at her father. What was the worst that could happen?

She quailed inwardly. Actually, a lot of worse could happen. She could feel herself start to hyperventilate.

"A party? For the Uzemaki?" Hiashi asked, his voice harsh. He frowned more deeply.

Hinata forced herself to slow her breathing.

This was important to her. She wanted to show her support for the marriage in the most public way she could. Maybe all the annoying sympathy could be stopped in its tracks. More than that, she wanted to give something special to Naruto and in some small way make up for the shabby way he had been treated in his childhood.

"Please, Father," she said firmly, "this is important to m-me."

She met his eyes steadily, waiting patiently for a response.

"Tell me what it is you would like to do," he said, noncommittally.

She recognized that they were at the negotiation stage of the conversation and felt a surge of excitement. All Hyuugas enjoyed negotiation. Like the Byakugan, it was an inbred affinity.

"I would like to have a formal betrothal dinner followed by a less formal party with dancing," she paused for a moment to gauge his expression. It had not changed. "I plan on inviting the Hokage, of c-course, as the village Head and also as S-sakura's teacher and mentor."

Hiashi lifted an elegant eyebrow. The Hokage, while the most renowned person in the village, was also known for her rather boisterous attendance at parties and her robust enjoyment of alcoholic beverages and gambling. She was, however, a very influential person, and it was wise to stay on her good side.

"I was also planning on inviting the Godaime Kazekage of S-suna and his entourage. The Kazekage is a very c-close friend of N-naruto's," she said, thoughtfully, watching her father carefully through her lashes.

Her father lifted the other eyebrow. The Kazekage of Suna would certainly be a valued guest. Although young, Suna no Gaara had demonstrated shrewd business acumen that had significantly improved the wealth of his country as well as the filled coffers for the Land of Fire. This, in turn, had led to some very lucrative investments for the Hyuuga clan.

"I was thinking of t-two possible dates," she said, thoughtfully, "both would be most f-favorable for guests to be able to v-view the gardens."

Hiashi nodded briefly, a slight softening of his features betraying guarded approval. He was very fond of showing off his gardens.

"I received a substantial reward for the t-trade agreement that I would use to help with c-costs -," she added, diffidently.

"Nonsense!" said Hiashi, looking offended, "The clan is certainly able to manage expenses!"

He set his tea cup down and stood up gracefully from the table.

"You may asked Hikaru to help you with invitations," he said, firmly, "He will also handle all the arrangements with merchants."

"Thank you, Father," said Hinata, softly, standing and bowing deeply.

Her father studied her for a moment.

"I have hopes for your political growth, Hinata," he said, gruffly, turning to leave.

Hinata frowned a little.

"Father," she said, betraying a slight irritation in her usually gentle voice, "This is not for p-political gain."

Hiashi paused and glanced at her briefly over his shoulder.

"I was speaking of how well you handled your father," he said, and strode off towards the training yard.

"Oh!" said Hinata, shocked.

Had her father actually been smiling a little when he said that?

* * *

Hinata spent a very pleasant morning writing lists and menus for her party. Once she was happy with her plans, she set out to the village to order invitations. She wanted to give the party as soon as possible and would need to get things ordered quickly.

Hurrying through the narrow snowy street, murmuring to herself, she didn't hear someone calling her name until her shoulder was caught in a firm and rather rough grip. She looked up in surprise to see Temari glaring down at her.

"Oh, Temari," she said, politely bowing, "I'm s-sorry. I didn't see you-," she smiled at Shikamaru who was standing a little behind Temari, his hands shoved in his pockets. He nodded briefly.

"I see that," said Temari, "You certainly looked very absorbed in that conversation you were having with yourself…"

Hinata blushed a little.

"Yes, well," she said, looking down. If only she had a snappy rejoinder for situations like this. Unfortunately, she didn't.

"Actually," said Temari, "I was looking for you."

"Really?" Hinata was surprised. Although they had spent time together on the return to Konoha, it had never occurred to her that Temari would want to pursue a friendship.

"Yeah," said Temari, rummaging through a large shoulder bag slung across her chest, "now, where the hell- Shika, did you see – oh, here it is." She pulled out a scroll and handed it to Hinata. "My brother sent this to me to give to you."

"Oh," said Hinata, taking the scroll and holding it against her chest. She could feel her cheeks redden.

"So," said Temari, "My brother's writing to you, hunh?"

"Mmm, yes?" said Hinata, pulling the scroll closer. She glanced up at Temari to see her staring down at her with a brilliant aquamarine gaze.

"And you've been writing back to him?"

"Y-yes," said Hinata, stepping back a little.

Surely, Temari would not be upset about a little correspondence with her youngest brother, would she? Still, better not to take chances. The Wind kunoichi was known for a volatile temper and a wicked Iron Fan jutsu. She glanced at Shikamaru who was staring down at the icy sidewalk with a bored expression on his face, digging his toe into a crack. Obviously, no help from him.

"Well, good, then," said Temari, cheerfully. She grabbed Shikamaru by the arm and dragged him away, waving to Hinata. "See you later!"

Shikamaru grunted something that might possibly have been, 'bye'.

Hinata waved a hand briefly, watching the couple walk briskly off.

She squeezed the scroll, smiling.

Now to order flowers at the Yamanka's flower shop and tell Sakura and Naruto about the party. Then she would find a quiet place to read her letter.

She couldn't wait.

* * *

_Dear Hinata-san,_

_Very well. I will spare the spiders. For now._

_But I have given them a stern warning not to frighten visitors._

_At least, not unless asked._

_Thank you for the delicious tea. My chef thanks you, also. He insisted that we share a cup together. I found it to be a surprising experience. We sat and discussed tea and its benefits. From there, we moved on to other food topics and before I knew it, I was wrapped in an apron stirring a pot of soup stock. It seems Chef has heard of Naruto's love of ramen (You are right. It must be an obsession if people who don't even know Naruto are aware of his predilection for the soup) and has been working on his own recipe for Naruto's next visit. He seemed to think I would be interested in the process and began ordering me around like the rank cooking amateur I am. According to Chef, I show promise as a cook. I will take his word for it, since I have had very little experience. I must admit, I found it to be enjoyable. There is something quite rewarding about eating something one helped cook. He has invited me to come for more lessons, and I think I might take him up on the offer. It seems a useful skill._

_How is your job search going? I'm sure you will find something rewarding to do. I understand what you mean when you write that you need to feel useful. I really enjoy the work I do. Every proposal I read, every decision I make, affects the people of Suna in a fundamental way. The responsibility to make correct decisions is often daunting, but I find I look forward to facing those decisions every day. It's ironic, though. For most of my life the people of Suna have feared and shunned me. If it had not been for Naruto, I would never have learned to curb the power I had been given. His unflagging belief in himself and his purpose has inspired me and made it possible for me to become the Kazekage. It is a debt I will never be able to repay._

_By the way, I'm quite sure the Hokage has read my letter. I would do the same. I'm not sure how I feel about a pig reading it. Can pigs read? Or is this a special reading pig? I can't quite imagine it. I have not spent time with many animals. We were not allowed pets as children. Except for summons, I don't know anyone with a pet. Even pets that read. Or wear pearls. _

_It is possible that I may be visiting Konoha soon. Perhaps we can get together sometime._

_Your friend, Gaara_

Oh, she loved the thought of solemn Gaara in an apron stirring soup. How clever of the chef to get him to do something so unexpected. She hoped he would find cooking as enjoyable as she did.

She was amazed at how much he revealed about his work. Not, of course, anything that would threaten security, but at how important it was. She hoped the people of Suna recognized how lucky they were to have a leader who took his responsibilities so seriously. Her eyes filled with tears as she thought of his lonely childhood.

Naruto had inspired her, too, to become a much better person. It was something she shared with Gaara, on smaller scale. She, after all, had not been known for her murderous rages. They were both lucky people to be friends of the boisterous self-proclaimed future Hokage.

She smiled wryly over his ponderings on pigs. She had not been allowed a pet as a child, either. Something else they shared.

He would be coming to Konoha. She wondered if Naruto had told him about the engagement.

She felt a _frisson_ run up her spine at the thought of seeing him again.

Because it almost sounded like a date, that last sentence.

If one looked at it just right.

* * *

_**A/N: I hope you liked this. Please let me know. As those of you who write reviews know, I am very appreciative of your comments and suggestions. If you haven't written one yet, come on! Be brave! What's the worst that could happen? **_

_**(Hint: There is no worse, believe it!)**_

**_(Hint again: I forgot. There is worse, if you are an anonymous flamer. Sorry, but I don't accept those. If you have something to say, set aside cowardly thoughts and say it…but give me the chance to reply!)_**


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: As is often the case, I realized I had not thought out the seasons when I started this. I have gone back and revised earlier chapters, to make it more clear that the beginning of the story is in the winter, i.e., Hinata does not see flowers in the desert, there are no leaves on the trees in Konoha yet, etc. The most notable addition is in Chapter 6. I've included a complaint about the weather in Temari's letter. Otherwise, the story is unchanged.**_

_**I do not own Naruto.**_

* * *

Chapter 7: Invitations

"Did you get one?" said Kankuro, strolling into the Kazekage's office one evening.

Gaara looked up bleary-eyed from the document he'd been notating. He turned to his aide with a frown.

"Jiro, can you get those quotes for me? I'll need three. Make sure the contractors write up a detailed list of repairs and costs. I'll need to get a better picture of the actual damages…" Gaara stared off into space before scribbling some more notes on the document.

"Yes, Lord Gaara," said Jiro. The small man bowed to Kankuro before exiting the room in a flurry of paper.

"I said, did you get one?" said Kankuro, hoisting his backside up on his favorite perch on the window ledge behind Gaara's desk.

Damn, but his little brother worked hard.

No way would he be able to put so much effort into managing the complex affairs of Sunagakure. Hell, he barely succeeded in getting his mission reports into legible documents, let alone turning them in on time. The kid was amazing.

"Hey, little brother," Kankuro used the toe of his boot to poke Gaara in the shoulder blade, "I asked you a question."

"Quit it," said Gaara, flapping his hand absently at the annoyance, "I'm working."

"Yeah, I see that," said Kankuro, "stop for a second. You've been working non-stop for hours. Time to take a break."

Gaara shrugged his shoulders. He continued to scribble, mumbling to himself.

"What are you working on, anyway?" said Kankuro.

"That last earth tremor damaged the part of the artesian well system that backs up Suna's water supply. I want to get it repaired now before more damages occur," Gaara turned and looked at his brother, his aqua eyes bright with enthusiasm. "If we do this right, we could anticipate further damages and protect the system more effectively in the future -."

He stopped and glared at Kankuro who was staring at him with his eyes crossed and tongue out in a Kabuki style grimace.

"And you are completely uninterested, aren't you?" said Gaara, flatly.

Kankuro relaxed his face into a more normal grin.

"Well, not completely," he said, "I do like water. Great for making beer. And for taking baths."

"Right," said Gaara, "beer and baths. Two very important reasons for keeping the water supply going. I'll need to make a note of that."

"Hell, yeah," said Kankuro, ignoring the sarcasm. "Put my name next to the note! Don't want you to take all the credit!"

Gaara looked at him coldly.

Kankuro grinned back.

Gaara relaxed in his chair with a small sigh.

"Now, that you've got my attention," he said, "what do you want?"

"I wanted to know if you got one?" said Kankuro.

Gaara blinked.

"One what?"

"One of these," Kankuro pulled a large embossed envelope out of his jacket with a dramatic flourish and tossed it onto the desk.

"If I look at this, will you go away and leave me in peace?" said Gaara, visually inspecting the envelope as though it might be an exploding device.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," said Kankuro, waving towards the envelope. "See if you've got one, too, before you open mine."

Gaara sighed heavily. He pawed through his in-box until he came across an identical envelope. He picked it up gingerly.

"Alright," he said, "I've got one. Now, leave."

Kankuro hopped off the sill and picked up his own envelope.

"Okey-dokey, little brother," he said, cheerfully, sauntering out of the room. He turned and waggled his fingers. "Don't forget to read it, now!"

* * *

Gaara frowned at the elegant envelope.

Why was Kankuro so insistent that he stop and examine the envelope now?

It was obviously an invitation of some sort.

Expensive cream-colored paper sealed with wax. The stamp in the wax was –

The Hyuuga family crest.

His heart made a funny nose-dive into his stomach.

He dropped the envelope hastily. It landed squarely centered on his desk, the revealing stamp turned upward. He stood up abruptly, pushing his chair back so hard that the legs squealed on the floor boards. He stared down at the elegant paper rectangle as if it really did contain a bomb.

An invitation.

From the Hyuuga clan.

He had no idea why the sight of the envelope set his heart pounding and his palms sweating.

He'd gotten invitations before. Many, since becoming the Kazekage.

He'd even gotten invitations from well-connected clans in the allied villages.

None had elicited a response like this.

Of course, he hadn't been writing regularly to one of the well-connected clan's daughters when he received those invitations.

_Don't be ridiculous. _

He had received letters from Hinata. What was different about an invitation?

_Different. Very different._

If some Hyuuga was writing an invitation to him, it was most likely Hinata.

_A letter is a letter. An invitation…is…something else._

He squared his shoulders and stepped up to the desk, picking up the envelope carefully. He picked up a silver letter opener and held it in his hand over the envelope flap. He slit the envelope open and pulled out the contents.

_You are cordially invited_

_To celebrate the Betrothal of_

_Haruno Sakura_

_And_

_Uzemaki Naruto_

_March Fourteenth at Five O'Clock in the Evening_

_At the Hyuuga Home_

_Konahagakure no Sato_

_Formal Dinner and Dancing will follow the Ceremony_

A betrothal party for Naruto? Given by the Hyuugas?

It could only be Hinata's idea to give a party for Naruto. He had no family, as far as Gaara knew. Sakura must not have a family, either. Or perhaps her family was unable to sponsor a expensive betrothal party.

How kind of her to think of gifting these two with a formal betrothal.

Naruto must be thrilled.

Gaara smiled briefly, thinking about his friend.

He knew how deeply Naruto longed for acceptance. They hadn't talked much about it, but each had understood the pain of isolation they had shared. A celebration in Naruto's honor at one of the most prestigious clan homes in the Land of Fire would make his friend very happy.

And, as a bonus, the prestigious clan home also happened to be the home of the very girl to whom he had been writing regularly.

Who had just invited him to a party.

That she would be attending.

He sat down in his chair and pushed the aquifer plans aside.

He needed to send an acceptance immediately.

Naruto would want him to be there making a grand show of support.

It behooved him to be present.

* * *

Kankuro grinned as he strolled towards his favorite restaurant.

It would have been hilarious to see Gaara's face when he opened the envelope.

Still, if Kankuro had been present, his little brother would never have opened the invitation.

Kankuro was pretty sure that the kid had it bad for the little Hyuuga.

Temari had written to tell him that Gaara had sent a couple more letters to the girl.

Well, it was about frickin' time, if anyone asked. Which nobody dared to do.

Gaara had turned into a pretty awesome guy, for a little brother. He deserved some happiness.

And a lot of nookie.

In Kankuro's opinion, if anyone asked, lack o' nookie was a basic need, like hunger or fear, that was unmet in many people.

If they further inquired on Kankuro's nookie philosophy, they would have learned that Gaara probably needed a lot more nookie than most people.

Of course, no one asked.

* * *

_Gaara!_

_Guess wat! Hinata is giving Sakura and me a betrothal party. I can not beleiv it! I want you to come. Hinata told me she sent a invite to you. So you better come! She told me she sent a invite to your brother and sister and your sensei. They better come to. I mean it. You are like family to me. So you better come! Or I will kick your ass. Beleiv it!_

_Your freind, Naruto_

* * *

"Gaara-sama, are you certain this is advisable?" said Baki, gruffly. He hated to burst this particular bubble, but someone had to do it.

"Yes," said Gaara, flatly.

"There is still a lot of bad feeling in Konoha. Especially against Suna. Perhaps it would be wiser to send a gift –."

"Baki-sensei," said Gaara, in that 'do not cross me, I'm the Kazekage' voice he had learned to use very effectively, "you are coming to this party whether you want to or not."

"I don't want," said Baki, "you know I'm not welcome there."

"Get over it," said Gaara, flatly, "Naruto needs our support. We will be leaving in one week. I plan on staying several days to meet with the Hokage over water rights. And, of course, we'll get together with Temari."

"Yes, sir," Baki said, sketching a slightly mocking salute.

Gaara grimaced faintly.

"I would like you to come with me," he said, his tone less demanding, "I have never attended a ceremony such as this."

"Very well," Baki said, begrudgingly.

Secretly, he was flattered that Gaara was insisting on his presence. It would be awkward for him. It always was. The total fiasco that had been the result of the Fourth Kazekage's attack on Konoha still loomed large in Leaf village memories.

Baki, as advisor to the treacherous Fourth Kazekage and as sensei to the Sand Siblings, was not well-liked in the Land of Fire. He was viewed with hostility and suspicion whenever he visited the village. He could have argued that he had protested the attack vehemently, but he doubted that would help. Especially since he had personally killed several Leaf shinobi during the battle. It would also not help if anyone knew about the physical illness he experienced whenever he thought about how the Fourth Kazekage had been betrayed and murdered by that psychopath, Orochimaru. Or if he described the terrifying nightmares he had after the debacle.

It was the price of his loyalty to his country. A shinobi had to take the blame as well as the praise for all actions taken by the martial power he followed.

He would go with Gaara and Kankuro to Konoha and attend the party. He would even try to be genial and pleasant.

It was his duty.

And he would also be able to get some intel on a certain lavender-eyed kunoichi.

Worth any discomfort.

* * *

"Do you have everything prepared?" Gaara asked, ignoring the exasperated looks Jiro shot him.

He knew he'd asked the same question several times before. Alright, more than several times. It didn't matter.

Supplying many of the betrothal gifts had been a prerogative he had insisted on. He'd had quite a few arguments with Naruto's former senseis, Hatake Kakashi and Umino Ibika about it. The air between Konoha and Suna had been thick with messenger birds while the squabble raged. They wanted to participate as well.

A final resolution of the matter occurred when Lady Tsunade had intervened. She had written a blistering note to him that had ended the discussion.

_We get it. He saved your life. He saved mine, too. And many others. We all owe him more than we can repay. Let his three senseis participate. Yes, I wrote three. Jiraya-sama left some things to Naruto to be used if ever such an occasion arose. Don't deny his spirit this._

After that, Gaara had given in with relatively good grace_._ Who was he to risk being haunted by the famous Sannin and Toad Sage? He had enough personal haunts already.

On the eve of the trip to Konoha, the supply cart was packed with gifts for the bride. There were also some bulky packages of things he thought Temari would like. A case of wine made from a loquat that was a specialty of the region for the Hokage was wrapped carefully in straw and settled securely under the driver's seat. He'd made sure there was a basket of carefully wrapped souvenir toys and mementos from Sunagakure no Sato for the Hyuuga family as hosts of the party.

There was also a small gift for Hinata tucked inside his personal bag.

Nothing big or very expensive.

Well, not too expensive.

Not expensive for a Kazekage.

Alright, it had cost a bit, but he had used village artisans so he didn't feel too guilty.

He hoped she would like it.

* * *

Also tucked in his bag was a scroll he had received from Hinata.

It still made him break out in a sweat when he thought about how he had almost missed it.

The missive had arrived during the flurry of avian correspondence between Leaf and Sand. It had been set aside and almost forgotten. It was only by the merest chance that Jiro had found it two days before they left. The scrolls were buried in paperwork for an extension of the artesian system Gaara wanted to present to the Konoha council and Land of Fire daimyos.

"Lord Kazekage," said Jiro, diffidently, "Have you seen this?"

Gaara, in the midst of organizing the proposal, grunted.

"Whatever it is, it can wait till I return," he said.

"Of course," said Jiro, putting the sealed scroll into the in-box.

Gaara briefly glanced over, fixing the scroll in his mind so that he wouldn't forget it when he returned.

He froze, his hands splayed on the desktop. The seal on the scroll looked very familiar. As did the handwriting with his name on the outside.

"Give that to me!" he said, sharply.

Jiro jumped and quickly scooped up the scroll. He deposited it carefully on the desk.

"S-sorry, sir," said Jiro, licking his lips and glancing uneasily at the gourd that was leaning against the wall behind Gaara. "I must have missed it. My pardons, sir, I'm very sorry-."

"Yes, yes," said Gaara, waving the man off. "Not your fault. I should have looked through that pile more carefully."

"No, sir," said Jiro, bravely, bowing deeply, "it is entirely my fault. I should have seen the scroll and given it to you first thing this morning. My humble apologies, sir. It will not happen again, sir. I promise you -."

"Jiro," said Gaara, quietly.

The man stopped his bowing and looked at his boss fearfully.

Gaara sighed inwardly.

Jiro looked like a rabbit frozen in place after seeing the shadow of a hawk swoop over him.

Damn it, when was the little man going to realize that Gaara was not going to kill him?

"You may get some tea, please," said Gaara, "I could use some refreshment."

"Yes, sir!" Jiro scuttled towards the door. "Right away, sir!"

"And Jiro," said Gaara.

Jiro stopped so quickly he skidded on the floor and almost took a header into the doorjamb.

"Please bring a cup for yourself," said the Fifth Kazekage.

Jiro's face lit up.

"Really, sir?" he said, "Of course, sir. Right away, sir. Be back in a moment, sir!"

"Go, please," said Gaara, "Take your time. I'd like to read this uninterrupted."

"Yes, of course, sir," said Jiro, tip-toeing out the door and easing it shut.

"Won't be a moment, sir," Gaara heard through the door.

Gaara sighed. Jiro was an excellent aide. Smart, efficient and eager to please. It was his eagerness to please that got a little tiresome.

He sat back in his chair and picked up the scroll.

Yes, from Hinata. It was her handwriting he had recognized.

He slipped his thumbnail under the wax seal and popped it open.

_Dear Gaara-kun,_

_Thank you for your letter. I am so happy you were able to enjoy your impromptu cooking lesson. As I believe I've said before, I enjoy cooking very much. I find it very calming. I hope that you have found it so, as well._

_I have been accepted as the substitute teacher for the Academy Kindergarten. I will be taking over the class at the end of this month. Right now, I am working with the current teacher before she goes on maternity leave. _

_I must say that I am both excited and frightened by the prospect. There are twelve students in the class and I will be responsible for them. This may be the most difficult mission I have ever undertaken. _

_Does that sound surprising? It shouldn't. _

_The first day I was at the school in my official position as almost-substitute teacher, one of the children burst into tears because I called her Yukiko instead of Ryoko. The second day one of the children fell on the playground and cut his knee when he missed the ball I threw to him. The third day, I burned the mixture of play dough I was making and set off the fire alarms. The whole school had to be evacuated. _

_Honestly, on the fourth day, I seriously considered not returning. However, I re-read your letter and remembered that work can be daunting, but also rewarding. Your words gave me strength and renewed my sense of purpose. Thinking about all the difficult tasks you must tackle put my own petty problems into sharp perspective. I went back to the school and happily had a very uneventful day._

_On the fifth day, Ryoko-chan brought me a picture she had drawn of her cat. At first, I couldn't see a cat when I looked at her paper. Ryoko-chan patiently pointed out to me all the cat-characteristics that eluded me, and I realized that I loved being there with her, disentangling her picture to see a cat. It is a moment I will treasure. I must always remember that rewards will come, if I don't give up. This is something I learned from Naruto. Your inspiring words about your work helped to remind me._

_I am so glad that you and your brother, and your sensei, will be coming to the party for Naruto-kun and Sakura-chan. Lady Tsunade-sama has told me that you will be representing Naruto-kun's family along with Kakashi-sensei and Iruka-sensei. I hope you will not think it is presumptuous to say that I was deeply touched when I heard this. I am so happy for Naruto. He has been very alone. It will mean a lot to him to have you there. Lady Tsunade-sama, Yamanake Ino-san and I will be acting as Sakura's family as her mother passed away several years ago. It is a responsibility I take very seriously._

_I look forward to seeing you soon. Please take care on the journey here._

_Your friend, Hinata_

* * *

Checking his personal bag for the fourth time, he opened the scroll and reread her letter.

He smiled over her first week as teacher. After his hour with the senior class at Suna's academy, he could imagine how terrifying the younger set must seem. It bothered him a little, though, that she wrote about her mistakes. Surely, she had triumphs, too. Like the picture the little girl had given her.

She had reread his letter! And she thought he was inspiring. His mind went blank at that. It was too difficult to believe.

He felt uncomfortably warm at her praise about representing Naruto. It was the least he could do for his friend.

Still, he was grateful to read her words.

He rolled the scroll up carefully and tucked it back next to his gift between his socks and underwear.

He probably should leave it home, but for some reason he couldn't.

It was almost like a talisman. A promise for the future.

Seeing her again, after writing to her, would be an interesting experience.

He wasn't sure if the thought pleased him or terrified him.

Perhaps a bit of both.

* * *

_**A/N: Next chapter should allow our socially backward hero and heroine to interact in the flesh, so to speak. Hey! Not that kind of interaction! They aren't nearly ready for THAT…yet! Despite Kankuro and his notions of nookie therapy.**_

_**Please review. I will respond, I promise.**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: Couldn't help myself. I'm snowed in under 20 inches of lovely white stuff, and really, what better to do then get another chapter out? In researching Japanese traditional betrothal ceremonies, it was clear that the purpose was to bring the two families together. Yes, there are hints of purchasing the bride, but the bride's family also has to give gifts. I thought it was perfect for Naruto, as you will see. I've tried to capture the spirit of the ceremony and apologize in advance for any inaccuracies.**_

_**I don't own Naruto.**_

* * *

Chapter Eight: Betrothal; Family to Family

Naruto knelt on the zabuton trying his best to suppress his thousand-watt grin. Tears flooded his fierce blue eyes and he made no effort to wipe them away. Instead, they trickled down the whisker marks on his lean cheeks and fell unheeded to patter on the tatami mats. Wiping them away might make him miss a moment of this wonderful, amazing, heart-breaking ceremony.

He was flanked by his best friends, Gaara and Sasuke, seated in lordly arrogant splendor a little behind him. Kakashi-sensei, for once impeccably groomed and dressed in beautiful traditional hakama, kimono and haori decorated with the Hatake family crest, sat with Iruka-sensei, dressed in a more modest but equally beautiful black suit in front of him. Behind Gaara and Sasuke sat the two other people that had become his family, Teuchi-san and Ayame-chan, owners and operators of Ichiraku Ramen, the best ramen stand in Konohagakure.

Naruto fingered the lovely silk sleeve of his haori and the grin slipped wider, crooked and sweet, as he thought of Jiraya-sama, his other sensei. The hakama, kimono and haori were all a gift from Jiraya. Even from the spirit world, his frustrating, challenging, beloved sensei looked out for him. His eyes filled again and tears trembled before spilling out as he felt a tingle go down his spine.

_Are you here, old man? Can you see me?_

The doors to the beautiful washitsu room were open, displaying a view of the famous Hyuuga gardens. A soft breeze stirred the budding leaves and blossoms on the ancient sakura tree standing gracefully alone by a stone bench. Naruto felt the brush of air tousle his hair before moving to caress the cheek of the woman who sat opposite him.

_Ah, there you are, ero-sensei. Can you believe it? I am here with my family. My family._

* * *

Tsunde's golden eyes grew bright as she felt the cool touch of the gentle wind. She faced Kakashi and Iruka and looked past them at the young man sitting proudly in the garments left by his god-father.

_Jiraya, Jiraya, my dear. See how your boy has grown?_

Naruto. Remarkable, infuriating, unpredictable, beloved boy. She owed him everything.

They all did. All the people of Konohagakure no Sato.

He had sacrificed his childhood for them.

He had triumphed over every obstacle, forged unbreakable bonds, created mayhem and friendship and peace everywhere he went.

Who else would have the likes of Kakashi, elite jonin, Iruka, gentle teacher, Gaara, Godaime Kazekage and Teuchi, ramen expert, all representing him as family?

Not to mention, Uchiha Susuke, former rogue-nin. The fact that Susuke was here, sitting quietly in this room, and not buried in disgrace or banned forever was only because of the forcefulness of Naruto's personality and faith in the goodness of his precious people.

Tsunade bowed low to Naruto and prepared to accept the betrothal gifts on behalf of her student and adopted daughter, Haruno Sakura, smiling as the branches of the sakura tree in the garden waved in the chilly air.

_Jiraya, my dear…_

* * *

Sakura trembled under the weight of the unfamiliar hair pieces and complicated folds of heavy silk. She could feel a bead of perspiration trickle down between her shoulder blades, and she licked her lips nervously. She stared with wide green eyes at the important men in her life.

Iruka-sensei, who had encouraged her to overcome her civilian background and believe in her chakra control.

Kakashi-sensei, who had treated her with casual concern, like a big brother who loved her but didn't really have time for her.

Sasuke, her first and deepest crush. She had wept oceans of tears for him. Almost destroyed a precious friendship with Ino because of him. And now, she could look at him and see him with the rueful love of a sister.

Blazing in front of Sasuke, was Naruto. Faithful, constant Naruto. Whenever she had been hurt or in danger, he had always been there, supporting her, loving her. Accepting her. He had never given up on her, even when she only had eyes for Sasuke.

When had she realized that she loved Naruto, loved him in the way a woman loves a man, deeply and forever?

She thought maybe during the time when they went to save Gaara after the Akatsuki had kidnapped him. Naruto had never given up on Gaara, believing against all odds that they would be able to save his friend. She had wondered then, what it would be liked to be loved like that.

And then realized that she already was.

It had taken awhile for her to admit her love. She'd been angry, punishing him with words and temper tantrums.

Through it all, he had grinned and scratched the back of his head. Never giving up hope in her.

The cool breeze from the garden stroked her heated throat, refreshing her and her wide stare softened.

_Naruto, my love…_

* * *

It was not the usual way of a betrothal, to have so many people crowded into one room, watching the proceedings. Hiashi had balked a little, when Hinata had informed him of the number of people that would be present. It was only because the Hyuuga main house had such a large and commodious room that he agreed, begrudgingly.

Even now, he looked on, bemused.

This boy, once reviled and despised, had drawn so many people to witness this event.

And judging by the sniffing of noses and wiping of eyes, those people were deeply affected.

Even Neji, his cool nephew, seemed to lean closer to his girl-friend, Tenten, holding her hand tightly. Mighto Gai and Rock Lee, well, his experience with those two had inured him to their frequent bouts of emotion, but he was surprised to see Nara Shikamaru holding hands with that wild girl from Suna, both looking touched by the scene.

Akimichi Chouji, Aburame Shino and Inuzuka Kiba were all attending, as were Shizune-san and several of the chuunin and jounin shinobi. Yuhi Kurenai, Hinata's team sensei was there with her son, Daichi, who looked more and more like a Sarutobi. More surprising was the sight of Mitarashi Anko, with tears streaming from her wide dark eyes leaning against Moroni Ibiki.

Everyone watched as Kakashi and Iruka presented the bride with the beautiful obi sash stiffly embroidered with cranes and sakura blossoms on the finest gold silk. The obi, it was rumored, was another bequest from the famous Gama Sennin, Jiraya-sama. Hiashi lifted an eyebrow in approval at the richness of the betrothal gift.

Lady Tsunade bowed deeply, accepting the gift on behalf of Sakura-chan, handing it back to Hinata.

Hiashi felt a rush of pride as he observed his daughter. She was dressed in a kimono that had been a gift to her mother, a lovely garment in shades of lavender and blues with yuzen-dyed butterflies floating across the hem and long furisode sleeves. She looked very well, indeed. Beautiful, he realized, with surprise. He saw a strand of her long, gleaming hair lift in the spring breeze.

_When did she start looking like her mother?_

Hiashi blinked and looked around the room surreptitiously.

It did not appear that anyone had seen the look of astonishment that crossed his face. All eyes were on the bride, as they should be.

He looked around again.

Not all eyes, after all.

A pair of aqua eyes were fastened on Hinata's graceful form with a hungry look that made Hiashi frown in speculation.

_So, the rumor is true, then…_

* * *

The gifts had been exchanged and graciously accepted by the betrothed pair's surrogate families. The couple had bowed, promising to respect and honor one another. A hush of wonder had fallen over the room, all the attendants subdued by the universal feeling that something sacred had occurred.

The quiet was torn asunder when the groom leapt to his feet pumping his fist in the air as he capered in a wild happy dance.

"Yosh! Sakura-chan," shouted Naruto, almost knocking over the red lacquered sugi container of very expensive sake from Suna, "I will love you forever! And forever! Believe it!"

He vaulted over the bodies of Kakashi and Tsunade, who were both hugging the sake container protectively, and lifted his bride from the floor into a crushing embrace.

"Baaka!" gasped Sakura, trying to pull her fist out of the entanglement of brawny arms and elegant kimono sleeves in order to pound her rambunctious lover over the head, "we're not married yet!"

"Teme," muttered Sasuke, standing up smoothly and stepping away from the altercation.

"Naruto!" shouted Iruka, in his best schoolmaster voice, to no avail. He stood up and scratched the back of his head in consternation.

Teuchi grinned and shook his head, pulling Ayame up and tucking her hand in the crook of his arm.

"Well," he chuckled to his daughter, heading quickly for the exit, "You can dress him up like a lord, but he's still our boy, isn't he?"

Ayame smiled sweetly.

"Yes, Dad," she said, "It's nice to see him happy, though, isn't it?"

Chouji quickly stepped forward and extricated his lovely wife from what had all the hallmarks of a brawl about to explode.

Ino took his proffered arm gratefully and sniffed loudly.

"I told Sakura to drill the basics into that idiot's head!" she said, indignantly, allowing Chouji to escort her towards the room doorway, "but, does she listen? No-ooo, of course not!"

"Never mind, sugar pie," said Chouji, patting her hand fondly, "You look lovely, by the way. I don't think I told you yet. Good enough to eat!" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, smiling down at her blushing face.

"Chouji!" Ino simpered, smacking him lightly on his broad chest. She looked around the room quickly, "Maybe later…"

The Hyuuga butler stepped into the room and cleared his throat importantly.

"Ladies and gentlemen, refreshments are served in the dining hall," he said loudly, eyeing the boisterous crowd with natural Hyuuga disdain.

All the other occupants of the room were on their feet, shuffling towards the door, laughing and chatting excitedly, led by Naruto and Sakura.

"Sorry, sorry," said Naruto, sweeping Sakura into his arms and carrying her forth, "just couldn't help myself!" He plastered a big kiss on her mouth, stifling what sounded like a shrill 'Idiot'.

Members of the group cheered and whistled, following the betrothal pair out.

The room was quiet except for the shocked murmurs from Kakashi and Tsunade as they patted the sake vessel.

"I can't believe he'd do such a thing," whimpered Tsunade, "has he any idea what's in this?"

"I can't believe we rescued this in time," whined Kakashi, "no respect for good liquor."

They looked at one another and came to a silent agreement.

Working as one, they gently lifted the container and carried it lovingly out to the garden, the sound of wind chimes ringing cheerfully over them.

* * *

Gaara watched them go thoughtfully, wondering if the container would ever be seen again.

He hadn't moved during the recent melee. His sand armor was in place and would have prevented any harm. Besides, it seemed safest to stay put.

He turned back to look at the only other occupant of the room as though drawn by a chakra thread.

Hinata sat opposite him, her eyes closed and her hands covering her mouth. Her shoulders shook and her voice hitched in uneven gasps of air.

Gaara was horrified.

Was she crying?

He had very little experience with a woman's tears. With anyone's tears, for that matter.

Temari was not one to express an emotion other than rage.

"Hinata?" he said, hesitantly.

She shook her head, her shoulders shaking even more.

Dear Kami! She must be devastated. All her hard work, shattered at the end. If Gaara hadn't been as touched as everyone by Naruto's spontaneous joy, he'd be really angry.

"Hinata," he said, soberly, "Please don't be upset with Naruto. I know he appreciates all the -."

She lifted her face out of her hands and shook her head at him.

Tears rolled down her face as she fought her giggles.

"N-no! Don't-," she gasped, "D-did you s-see Ka-Kakashi? And the Hok-Hokage-he-he?"

She was laughing?

Relief poured through him. He was as equally out of his depth with a woman's laughter as he was with tears. Although laughter, even with tears, seemed a better alternative.

He stood and stepped over to her carefully.

She pounded her fist on the tatami mat and he stopped in his tracks.

"And d-did you s-see-he-he Sakura?" she howled, her voice pinched with glee, "Oh, K-ha-hami, her face!"

"Hinata," Gaara squatted down and studied the girl earnestly. "Should I get someone? Some water, maybe?" he suggested, unsure of his role in her mirth.

Should he stay until she finished?

Should he leave her alone until she finished?

He was frankly at a loss.

Hinata pulled a fine cotton handkerchief from her bosom and wiped her eyes.

"Oh, my goodness, how p-priceless," she said, smiling warmly at Gaara. "I'm sorry, Gaara-kun, I don't usually-I mean, I always try to-."

A rosy blush rolled up her neck to stain her cheeks.

"I like it," said Gaara, standing up and holding out his hand to help her up.

Hesitantly, Hinata put her hand in his and let him pull her to her feet.

They stood in the empty room, her hand in his, looking at each other.

Petals from the sakura tree floated around their heads, landing in their hair, falling on their shoulders.

"I like it," he said, his voice suddenly husky. He tugged her hand pulling her slowly towards him. "I like the sound of your voice, and the way your face looks when you laugh."

She stumbled a little as he drew her closer, bringing her hand up until it rested on his chest, just over his heart.

"Do-do you?" she said, breathless, her eyes wide. All signs of laughter fled.

"Yes," he said, holding her hand tightly against his breast. He stepped closer until the folds of his hakama brushed against the long furisode, black and wine stripes crisp against the soft lavender and blue. "I like the sound of your voice, and the way your face looks, and the way you write to me about the things in your life."

"Oh," whispered Hinata, tilting her head back so that she could see his face.

He leaned over her, slipping his other hand along the path the obi sash made around her tiny waist.

He wanted-

He pressed her waist to bring her closer to him until he could feel the warmth of her body and the firmness of her limbs pressed against his. He could feel her rib-cage move, expanding against his hand, and his own chest, He felt her breath, fragrant and quick on his throat. Her eyes were like deep amethyst pools and he could see his own face reflected in their depths.

Kami, he wanted-

He dipped his head down to hers, panting, focusing on the sweet arch of her lips.

"Ahem," the butler's voice, stern and disapproving, cut across his blurred thoughts like the blade of a kunai. "Hyuuga-sama is asking for you, Lord Kazekage."

Hinata sprang from his grasp and turned away pressing her trembling hands against her breast.

His heart twisted with wanting.

"Yes," he said, harshly, dropping his hands and clenching his fists. "I will be there in a moment."

"Yes, sir," said the butler, "I will inform Lord Hyuuga immediately."

The officious man swept away and Gaara stood for a moment breathing in a shaky deep breath.

"I'm sorry," he said, quietly, following the butler out of the room.

He didn't see her turn and step after him hastily, her hand held out, nor hear her quiet, 'wait' as he left.

He only heard the pounding of his heart.

Wanting.

* * *

_**A/N: Well, this probably happened sooner than it should, but I guess I was as taken up in the moment as Gaara was! It must be that tricky spring wind…**_

_**Let me know what you think, please. I like to hear your thoughts.**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: I can't believe all the positive, thoughtful reviews I've been getting for this story. It really inspires me to go on. Actually, I almost scrapped this idea but I'm glad I didn't. I want to find out how things turn out for our reserved hero and heroine as much as you do!**_

_**Oh, yes, the obligatory 'I do not own Naruto'.**_

* * *

Chapter Nine: Moving Right Along

_Oh. My. Goodness._

In all her life, when she faced Neji in the chuunin preliminaries, when she confessed her love to Naruto in front of the whole village, when she'd stood her ground against the elders as they stripped her of her inheritance, in all those times, Hinata had never felt as turned around as she did in this moment.

She stood alone in the room with her hands clasped against her heart and tried to get her breathing under control.

She could still feel the warmth of his hand pressed against her waist and the weight of his strong thighs hard against her own. A wave of heat rolled up from her belly to her breast, and she put her head back to catch some air. Her nerve endings prickled, sharp and tantalizing. Her hands tingled with the memory of his heartbeat, strong and fast under her fingers, her own heart racing to match his rhythm.

_Oh, kami, help me…_

She had never felt like this. Never before been so overwhelmed by a man's touch. Actually, had never been touched by a man so intimately.

Her adolescent fantasies of holding hands with Naruto and leaning her head on Naruto's shoulder and shyly kissing Naruto curled up and died next to the heat of what she felt for this man.

She had heard Ino laughingly talk once about jumping Chouji's bones when he came back on a mission. The phrase had seemed an odd one to Hinata. Vaguely distasteful, reminiscent of hungry dogs and carrion.

But, oh kami, she wanted to jump his bones.

She wanted to race after him and jump on his back and knock him to the floor and –

And make him finish what he had started.

She turned slowly and stepped towards the door, breathing shallowly, her knees oddly weak.

"Hinata?"

Startled, Hinata looked up and met the bright, concerned gaze of her sister, Hanabi.

"Hinata," said Hanabi, frowning, "Are you alright?"

"I-" said Hinata. She didn't know what to say. She shook her head to clear it and licked her suddenly dry lips. "Yes, of course, imouto-chan, I'm sorry."

The slender fourteen-year-old narrowed her eyes and studied Hinata suspiciously.

"You're blushing all over. Are you sure you're alright?" she stepped closer to Hinata and peered at her critically. "You're not upset about Naruto, are you?"

"No, no," said Hinata, hastily, another tell-tale blush filling her cheeks. "Not at all," she said, lacing her arm with Hanabi's and pulling her towards the door, "It was a beautiful ceremony, ne, imouto-chan?"

"I guess," sniffed Hanabi, "but that Naruto, what a clown! He almost knocked Father down, can you believe it? You should have seen Father's face!"

Hinata walked with Hanabi towards the dining hall, nodding her head vaguely. She had no idea what Hanabi was saying.

All she could hear was Gaara's husky voice whispering, "I like it."

* * *

_Fool, fool, triple times a fool!_

He had frightened her, he was sure of it.

He stood impassively as Hiashi introduced him to various people, not caring in the slightest who these people were.

His mind fretted, snagged on the image of her, her eyes clear and beautiful, her mouth open in surprise.

He could still feel her hand, resistant in his, feel her body pressed against him.

She had turned away when they were interrupted.

Overcome, no doubt, with revulsion.

How could he have let his control slip?

For kamis' sake, he'd almost kissed her, taken advantage of her vulnerability.

Even now he wished he could go back to that room and press his lips against hers, taste her throat and run his tongue along the sweet line between collarbone and breast.

Lord, he wanted to peel away the layers of heavy silk she wore like the wrappings of an exotic fruit and explore her mysterious female body. He wanted to pull her down to the floor and overtake her soft curves with his firm planes. He wanted to own her, be owned by her-

He shivered slightly, his body hard and aching.

He was a cad, a bounder, a pervert of the worst sort.

But, damn, he wished that butler hadn't come in!

* * *

Hiashi stood next to the Kazekage with all the appearance of the genial host.

He introduced various clan council members to the aloof young man, aware that the boy was not paying attention in the slightest.

It didn't take an activation of the Byakugan blood limit to see that the boy's chakra was in a state of turmoil.

It was not lost on Hiashi that Gaara and Hinata had been absent from joining the party far longer than was proper. Even now, Hinata had not come to see to the guests. Whatever had happened between them had caused the confusion of emotions Hiashi could sense behind the cold façade the boy presented.

At this point, Hiashi could tell that the boy had himself under iron control, but he intended to make sure that the boy stayed that way.

The rest of the party goers seemed oblivious to the Kazekage, as groups formed and reformed around them, talking and laughing and enjoying the appetizers and drinks that were being served by Hyuuga servants. There was enough spiking chakra coming from the Uzumaki anyway, to distract a room full of shinobi from investigating. It was a good thing, too.

Hiashi had no intention to bring public attention to a situation that could easily spiral out of control.

_What has that girl gone and done, now?_

He was unused to thinking of Hinata in relation to men. Oh, he had received courtship requests, but he had never seriously considered them. She had seemed too young, really. Not ready to be sent away to become part of another family. She had never given him a moment's doubt about her innocence, always behaving with decorum and modesty. As far as he knew, she had never shown any romantic leanings. There had been something once about the Uzumaki, but Hiashi had dismissed that as malicious gossip.

In fact, it would not have occurred to him to notice her interactions with the Kazekage if his secretary, Hikaru, hadn't mentioned that Hinata had exchanged several letters with the Sand Godaime.

He heard a sharp intake of breath from the man next to him and looked up.

Hinata and Hanabi entered the room arm in arm.

They made a stunning picture.

Both girls were heart-stoppingly beautiful, with their long shining blue-black hair and pale ivory skin. Hanabi was already as tall as Hinata, her frame slim and coltish. Hinata was more womanly and graceful, moving with the assured poise of the kunoichi. Hanabi's features were bright, her eyes challenging and curious. Hinata's face glowed with warmth, her eyes gentle and sweet. They stood at the doorway, Hinata smiling at something Hanabi was saying, the two as charming as any court painting.

Hiashi watched with narrowed eyes as Hinata looked around the room.

Gaara took a step forward.

Their eyes met. And locked.

Hiashi was shocked at the heat he saw in both their glances.

_Gods, what has my girl gotten herself into…_

* * *

Hinata sighed inwardly, helping the servant hang Sakura's kimono.

She had not been able to speak with Gaara since the betrothal ceremony. Whenever she had tried to approach him she had been called away.

If she didn't know better, it almost seemed as if something was keeping them apart.

First, she was sent to assist her elderly Aunt Kisumi who had tipped over and fallen off her zabuton, banging her hip. Ino had helped her settle the octogenarian in one of the guest bedrooms. Apparently, the old lady had had too many sake martinis and was rather the worse for wear. The soothing application of healing chakra on the tipsy woman's hip and liver helped them send her into a nap to sleep off the effects of the liquor, while Hinata reviewed several things she needed to say to the bartender. Honestly, couldn't he have extrapolated on the warnings she'd given him about Lady Tsunade? Was that too much to ask? Ino agreed that it wasn't, and sniggered as she went off, presumably to tell Chouji all about Hinata's lush of an aunt.

Next, she'd had to attend to the seating of the diners for the formal dinner. Someone had taken it upon themselves to rearrange her careful seating plan and move Teuchi and Ayame further away from Naruto and the head of the table. Hinata was not about to let those two loyal friends be slighted in any way. She'd kicked a Hyuuga council member out of the seat he had taken and made sure that the ramen shop owners were given their original places of honor, seated Hanabi with them with strict instructions to make them feel welcome, and settled the council member in his original seat, all while employing a steely politeness she had perfected on her diplomatic missions.

Once the participants had been settled to her satisfaction, she'd been called to the kitchen to make a quick decision about a pending disaster in the kitchen. Really, the fine Parisian-trained pastry chef Hiashi had hired was a genius, but did he have to be quite so temperamental? He was given a lesson in more appropriate motivational techniques than shouting and name-calling in the firm voice she used in the Kindergarten. Surprisingly, it worked very well in the kitchen, too.

The dinner had gone off without a hitch after that, if one didn't count the upset of soup bowls when Naruto jumped up to hug his former sensei after Iruka delivered a spirited toast. Or the giggles coming from Lady Tsunade and Kakashi, as they toasted themselves with a seemingly endless supply of sake. Or when the room had grown suddenly silent when Sasuke had cleared his throat and said curtly, 'a toast to Naruto and Sakura and their future happiness'.

It had taken several beats before the diners had felt able to say more than 'bonzai' after that.

She had worried for a bit that Baki would never speak, but would sit, silent and forbidding next to Kurenai throughout the meal. Fortunately, Kurenai had excellent manners and Hinata was happy to see the two conversing quietly. Kankuro was laughing at the lower left end of the U-shaped table with Kiba, Ino and Chouji, while Temari, Shikamaru and Shino appeared deep in a discussion with Neji and Tenten on the other end.

The other guests were arranged up and down the table lengths and seemed to be enjoying themselves. Gai, and his date, the prosperous widow of a textile merchant, and Lee, with his date, the widow's pretty daughter, were cheerfully discussing the benefits of early morning exercise. The widow was laughingly shaking her head at Gai's invitation to join him one morning. The daughter was squeezing Lee's bicep and looking at him meltingly.

Even the clan elders, interspersed amongst the other shinobi and their dates, seemed to be having a good time. At least they were not looking too disapproving. It was not part of clan culture for them to appear happy, but Hinata could see a chilly smile or two. Certainly, her Uncle Kiyoshi seemed to be enjoying Anko's company. Hinata wondered for a moment if she should drop a word of warning in his ear the second time he patted Anko's knee. No, better not. Some lessons were better learned through experience. She just hoped that Anko wouldn't hurt him too badly.

She'd taken a moment to enjoy the sight of Naruto and Sakura, brilliant as stars at the head of the table. Her eyes prickled with tears to see the way the two leaned together, smiling brightly at one another, encased in a circle of joy that was almost palpable. Their happiness radiated outward, encompassing everyone.

Her heart had filled with warmth to know that she had been able to give this night to them.

Smoothing the fabric along the bamboo frame she sighed again.

The one small dark instant had been when she'd leaned forward to try to catch Gaara's eye and share her happiness. He was seated at one side of her father close to Naruto while she was on the other. It had almost seemed as though Hiashi had turned to block her from seeing the Kazekage, but that surely was a mistake, wasn't it?

Hinata shook her head and went to assist Sakura in taking apart the formal hairstyle and brushing her rose hair into a more casual shape.

She hoped she would get a chance to exchange a few words during the dance.

Maybe more than a few words.

Her cheeks pinkened.

* * *

It became clear to Gaara, during the course of the dinner, that Hyuuga Hiashi was deliberately separating him from his daughter.

He wasn't sure when he first noticed.

Sometime after she had come into the room and he'd caught her eyes.

The relief that had flooded him still made him feel a little giddy.

Her eyes had been full of warmth and happiness to see him, not the revulsion he had feared.

Her eyes had held a promise that he was eager to keep.

He'd taken a few steps toward her when he'd found himself blocked. Hiashi was standing in front of him, effectively stopping him. If he'd pushed forward, as he wanted to, it would have been unforgivably rude. He'd stepped back, studying the older man's bland face.

"I'd like to get your opinion on the new trade agreement," said Hiashi, smoothly, "I wonder if there may be further opportunities now that the Land of Waves has expanded their waterfront."

Gaara allowed himself to be herded towards other Hyuuga council members and listened quietly while they continued what clearly was an ongoing discussion. He made a comment or two, mostly for clarification, and was mildly pleased to see the look of faint approval on Hiashi's face. He was about to explain his own ideas to link water rights between the Lands of Wind, Rivers and Fire when he saw Hinata headed in their direction.

That was probably when he first noticed a distinct intervention.

"Hinata-chan, please see to your Aunt Kisumi. She's seems to have hurt herself," said Hinata's father, coolly. Hinata had glanced at Gaara briefly then bowed to her father.

"Of course," she said and hurried off.

Hiashi turned to Gaara and smoothly asked him to continue what he was saying.

Gaara had looked back at the older man warily.

Hiashi lifted an elegant slender brow inquiringly.

"You were saying, Kazekage-sama?"

Gaara took the hint and said something innocuous about the trade discussion.

He was suddenly faced with a phenomenon he had heard about but never experienced. Actually, he had never thought to experience it.

The guarding behavior of the suspicious father of a pretty girl.

It became almost amusing to see the efforts Hiashi went to in order to keep the two apart.

Or they would have been amusing if Gaara hadn't desperately wanted to be near Hinata.

He tolerated Hiashi during dinner but he was determined to speak to Hinata during the dance.

And there was nothing, not her father nor the whole damn clan that was going to stand in his way.

* * *

Well, well, well.

Something had happened to get his little brother in a snit.

Kankuro whistled cheerfully as he followed Gaara's even more than usually straight form to Neji's cottage.

All the guys were meeting there to change for the shindig. Seemed it would be too difficult to get a groove on wearing traditional ceremonial duds. Not that they were changing into truly comfortable clothes. Oh, no. He'd been informed by his frickin' brother, the Lord High Stick-up-the-Butt, that he was expected to wear a suit and tie.

Personally, Kankuro preferred slipping into his usual Puppet Master garb and make-up. He liked the cool intimidation factor it leant him. Plus, no one bugged him when he looked like he was part of a kick-ass gang or heavy metal band.

Maybe he should forget the tailored black suit and pearl grey dress shirt and tie he planned on wearing and put on his shinobi clothes anyway. Looked like little brother might need some back-up. He was about to suggest this when Gaara spoke up.

"I need your help," he said, his voice gravelly with barely suppressed fury.

Kankuro swallowed and felt a shiver roll up his spine. It had been awhile since he'd heard that voice.

Damn. Gaara was more pissed than he thought.

"Okay," Kankuro said, cautiously, "whaddya need?"

"I want some time with Hinata and her father is not letting me," growled Gaara, looking back over his shoulder at the well lit house with venom in his eyes. There was an odd keening edge to his voice that-

Dang if that hadn't sound like the whine of a petulant teenager.

Kankuro barked out a surprised guffaw.

"What?" he said, incredulously.

Gaara turned and glared at him.

"I mean," said Kankurro, back pedaling, his hands up in a defensive posture, "Dude, it's her father. Whaddya expect me to do? If you're planning on getting it on with her, well, I'm here to say, it's not a good idea. At least not here. Why don't you get her to come to your room? You can fu-"

Gaara stalked up to him and poked his brother hard in the chest.

"Do not speak disrespectfully of her again," he said, his voice brittle as ice and twice as sharp. "She is not one of your tea-shop trollops."

Kankuro gulped again.

"Sorry," he said, "I thought-."

"I know what you thought," said Gaara, his eyes promising punishment if Kankuro crossed the line again, "I want to talk to her. Dance with her. Get to know her."

"So, okay, isn't that what you're gonna do? Dance with her?" said Kankuro, scratching his head. "I'm confused, here."

"Her father won't let her near me," said Gaara, turning away and looking sullenly down the path towards Neji's house.

Naruto could be heard shouting in the little house.

"I'm gonna dance my ass off! Believe it!"

"Why not?" Kankuro peered at the back of his brother's head. Things clicked. "Daddy found out about the letters and he doesn't like it."

"No," said Gaara, "I mean, I don't know. He probably does know, but I don't know if he likes it or not."

"Okay, so not the letters," Kankuro grabbed Gaara by the arm and turned him around so he could study his face. "Something else happened," he said shrewdly.

"Yes. No. Uh -," said Gaara. He looked at his brother and shook his head. "Hinata and I – you see, I thought she was crying, so I – uh."

"You kissed her," Kankuro stared at him in shock. No way did Gaara get to first base so fast. No way.

"No," said Gaara hastily. He shrugged his shoulders, looking away again.

He turned back to his brother and looked at him with wide aqua eyes.

"I wanted to. I want to," he said, and the raw longing in his voice and eyes made Kankuro shiver again. "I think I need to," he whispered.

Kankuro was at a loss. In his nookie philosophy Need was an itch to be scratched, not a desperate longing that cracked the soul. What Gaara was talking about was getting awfully close to Love.

His heart gave a pang for him, who had known so little love in his life.

"Okay," he said, quietly, pushing Gaara up the path gently, "I'll keep Daddy away."

And heaven help his brother…

_Please…help him…_

* * *

_**A/N: Hope you liked this. I'm caught in another snowstorm. What to do, what to do? Vacuum? Dust? Organize? He..z, no! Guess I'll have to keep on writing.**_

_**I hope you'll keep on reviewing – some of you will see that your ideas and suggestions were incorporated above – so, you see, I really do get inspired by your support.**_

_**And if you haven't reviewed, please do. It's fun! Really. Do it all the time. Would I lie to you? Of course not!**_


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N: So, this is what happens when you get snowed in and your power and internet doesn't go down. You write 6000+ words of fun and fluff for your friends!**_

_**I want to thank slimreaper for being a very good sounding board about the fun of writing and for giving me some inspiration on this chapter. If you haven't read her stories, you are missing something very good.**_

_**Once again, as always, I do not own Naruto.**_

_**Oh, yes, there is a section that is more adult in content than heretofore. You have been warned.**_

* * *

Chapter Ten: Dancing in the Dark

Kiba checked his appearance one last time in the mirror. He ran his fingers through his shaggy dark brown hair again, giving it a more rumpled look.

Chicks dug wild hair.

And he dug chicks.

There should be some possibilities for hooking up with someone tonight. Hinata had told him that she had invited some civilians to the dance party. Civilians just loved the ruggedly handsome type like him.

Or so he'd been told.

Maybe he didn't have all the fangirls that followed Neji and Sasuke, but he had his fair share of ladies hoping to run their hands up and down his rock-hard abs. And other things, if he got lucky.

It was kind of funny, though.

Must be all those sentimental emotions scenting the air, but, for a long moment he'd wished he'd been sitting in Naruto's place next to his own bride-to-be.

Heel, there, pup.

Not good thinking like that.

His ma had been yapping a lot, lately, about him starting a family and giving her grand-kids.

He wasn't even close to ready for that!

If she even caught a whiff of a more permanent vibe from him, she'd worry at him like Akamaru at a raw-hide bone.

Nope, better to keep it easy-breezy. Just a young hound out for a run. Nothing to see here, folks.

A pounding on the bathroom door interrupted his reverie.

"Yo, Kiba," shouted Naruto, "quit primping and get out here. I gotta look good for my bride and you're standing in my way."

"Keep your shirt on, numbnuts," growled Kiba, sliding the door open and stepping out into Neji's bedroom. "You afraid someone else is gonna take your beloved? Some hot stud muffin like me, perhaps?"

Naruto snorted and stepped past the Inuzuka to peer at himself in the mirror.

"As if," he said, running his fingers through his wild blonde locks, "I finally got her and I'm keeping her, believe it."

Kiba shook his head, watching his friend frantically try to tame his hair.

"I don't know how you did it," he said, "You've been after Sakura for years. What finally changed her mind?"

Naruto looked at him in the mirror, his blue eyes wide.

"I honestly don't know," he said, quietly, "I can hardly believe it myself." His glance sharpened and the familiar look of determination hardened his features. "But I'm gonna make that woman so happy every day of her life she'll never regret marrying me. Believe it." He turned and stepped out of the bathroom, grabbing Kiba's arm.

"Come on," he shouted, "I've got a bride to dance with!"

Kiba allowed himself to get towed along through the bedroom out into the small living room to join the other men. They quickly formed groups and headed up the path towards the main house, a laughing jostling crowd.

Kiba paused at the doorway, watching as Naruto and the others spilled onto the dance floor. Several of the girls were already there and he watched as Naruto found Sakura and pulled her into a hard embrace followed by a blistering kiss.

For a moment, Kiba almost felt jealous.

Time to find someone to dance with, preferably someone who was not caught up in all this romantic nonsense. Someone who would enjoy some quality time with a dog-nin. Someone who -.

He realized that someone was hovering by the doorway near him.

From the back, she looked like a very pretty girl, with long shiny black hair and she smelled great, like lavender and roses and -.

_Holy shit!_

Was that Hinata?

In a dress?

He'd seen her in a dress before. Wait, come to think of it, whenever he saw Hinata out of her shinobi gear and into something less military and more feminine, she'd been wearing traditional kimonos or something baggy and dull. She had always looked pretty, but this – well, this-.

_Holy shit!_

He didn't know much about dresses, but this one had to be the greatest dress _ever_.

It had a tight thingy around her waist and a swirly skirt that skimmed around a great set of legs. _Damn, Hinata's got fine legs! _The color was pretty, sort of blue and violet mixed together. _Akamaru will love this! _But what really made this a dress to remember was the top part. It kind of wrapped around her shoulders and opened in the front like a stiff shawl.

The top part was simply amazing.

Hinata in the top part was more than amazing.

She was – well –

_Holy shit!_

"K-kiba?" said Hinata, anxiously, "Is anything wrong?"

Kiba checked his nose to make sure he wasn't bleeding all over the place.

Nope, a couple of drops, but those were quickly taken care of and the evidence pushed into his pocket along with his telltale handkerchief.

"K-kiba?" said Hinata, again, her hands flying up to that amazing top and her index fingers poking together right in front of her-.

Kiba quickly pulled out his handkerchief again and applied it to his nose.

"Fine, Hinata, fine," he said, his voice muffled by the cloth. "You look -," _like someone I'd like to take home tonight, _"really nice. That's a pretty dress."

She looked down and smoothed one hand over her skirt nervously.

"Really?" she said, "Ino picked it out for me."

_Oh, Ino, you naughty girl. _

"I'm n-not sure if I really should wear it."

Kiba was sure she should wear it. Very, very sure.

"It's a little reavealing."

_Oh, yeah. _

It was revealing alright. Revealing what she'd kept hidden under those tightly zipped big-ass jackets for years.

If he stepped a little bit closer, _yep, right there_, he was able to see not only the deep cleft between her breasts but the generous curve on either side. He pressed the handkerchief harder against his nostrils.

"After all, m-my father's here and v-visiting dignitaries."

Wait a minute. This was Hinata. Hinata, his teammate. One of his best friends. The only girl besides his mother and sister that he trusted completely. Who trusted him completely.

_Down, boy!_

"I told Ino that I wanted something that would be appropriate for a p-party."

She was worried about her dress and he was acting like he was about to hump her leg.

"I think I b-better change," Hinata said, a little sadly, and turned away.

"Wait, Hinata," said Kiba, returning to his usual role, best friend and teammate. "Don't change. You look awesome."

"Kiba-kun," said Hinata, "you haven't stopped looking at m-my – uh, my chest - since we started talking."

A slow blush started up and flowed across her throat and bosom.

_Don't look! Don't look!_

_Too late._

Time to reassure her. He and Shino had been after her for years to dress more normally, like other girls. And honestly, the dress she was wearing tonight wasn't all that revealing.

_Like hell!_

It probably was practically matronly compared to what Ino no doubt had on. That girl usually wore clothes that needed to be glued in place just to maintain a tiny bit of modesty.

"Hinata," said Kiba, knocking his libido over the head. He had long recognized that he and Hinata would never be a couple. Her shy ways just didn't work for him. They'd even talked about it once, back in the days when she was ga-ga over Naruto. It was time for him to be the good teammate. "I ain't gonna lie, I'd have to be dead and buried not to check out your-," _boobs? ta-tas? melons? jahoobies?_ "figure. You look beautiful. Totally appropriate for a party."

He was rewarded by the look of relief that filled her face. She smiled up at him shyly.

"R-really?"

"Really," he said, holding out his arm for her, "you are totally gonna catch some dignitary's eye."

He frowned at the sudden sparkle of excitement that shone in her pale face.

"Oh, I hope so," said his teammate and best friend and the hottest chick in the room. She accepted his arm and they stepped out onto the dance floor.

* * *

Baki watched Gaara closely from his place in the shadows at one edge of the room.

Something had happened to get his student so worked up.

And he had a pretty good idea what – or who – it was.

Ever since the betrothal ceremony Gaara had been acting like a cat on hot sand, wary and tense. Hyuuga Hiashi was acting suspiciously as well, keeping close to the Kazekage and making sure that his daughter didn't.

Baki felt a moment of indignation at the thought that the Hyuuga didn't think Gaara was good enough for his precious daughter.

In the past, Baki had never thought that Gaara would have a normal or even a very long life. No, he had expected the boy to die either at the hands of his father or through the machinations of the monster tanuki. Now that both threats had been removed, he'd begun to hope for something good for his student.

Kami knew he deserved it.

Gaara was standing with Kankuro near the refreshment table.

They both looked very well, as befitted the Kazekage and his sibling. Baki felt a swell of pride as he looked with satisfaction at their handsome forms. Both were tall and broad-shouldered, although Gaara was slender where Kankuro was wide. Both were dressed impeccably, Kankuro in black and Gaara in steel grey. Their hair picked up the reflections of the fairy lights and candles that decorated the room and shone, chestnut and burgundy.

_My students. My boys._

There was a disturbance at the doorway and Baki could see the Hyuuga girl come in with the Inuzuka heir. She was immediately surrounded by other of her friends and he lost sight of her.

He remembered her from the chuunin preliminaries, and, although he'd been impressed with her spirit, he had dismissed her abilities as a shinobi. She was shy and retiring. She was a member of a prominent clan, to be sure, but rumor had it that she had been replaced as the heir because of doubts about her strength as a leader. She was certainly pretty, but there were other pretty girls. There had been quite a parade of them lately.

But none of them had piqued the interest of his youngest student.

He saw Gaara straighten up at the sight of her.

The group around the girl had grown to include the Uzumaki and his fiancée. They surged forward, gathering momentum until they surrounded Gaara and Kankuro.

Baki took a step forward in alarm.

A hand pressed lightly against his chest, stopping him in his tracks.

"They're fine," said a quiet feminine voice.

Baki's palm itched to search out the kunai he had under his suit coat, but he restrained himself. He angled his body so he could continue to watch the crowd of young people and see who had dared accost him.

The young woman he had sat next to at dinner stood beside him, smiling faintly.

"Excuse me, Yuuhi-san?" he said, politely, but with an edge to his voice. People did not stop Baki. Ever.

"I said, they were fine," Yuuhi Kurenei repeated, nodding her head towards the laughing crowd. "You were wondering about your students, the Kazekage and his brother."

Baki frowned. They had talked about their student teams during dinner. She was Hyuuga Hinata's sensei. Was she aware of Gaara's interest in the girl?

He realized that she had not dropped her hand and that it was still pressed against his chest.

He stepped back and her hand fell.

"I was wondering about my student, Hyuuga Hinata," Kurenei continued, "she seems – interested in the Kazekage."

She turned to face him and her dark red eyes seemed to glow.

Baki tensed and prepared for her attack. She was a jonin level shinobi with a genjutsu talent that he had heard about but never seen. His hands were already beginning to sign 'genjutsu kai' to release the spell.

"What is he planning for my girl?" said the woman, frowning.

Baki relaxed a little.

She looked as worried as he undoubtedly did.

"I don't know," he said, a little ruefully. Seeing her look of alarm, he frowned. How much to tell her without betraying Gaara?

They watched the young people, noting how Gaara and Hinata seemed to be ignoring each other as the members of the group shifted around.

"Do you think," said Kurenai flatly, "Do you think he is a danger to her?"

"No!" said Baki, "Never."

Kurenai turned fully to him and cocked her head.

"He would have been in the past," she said, watching him carefully.

"Yes," there was no doubting that. He would not betray Gaara by agreeing.

Kurenai turned back to watch the group.

Pairs were beginning to form and drift onto the dance floor. The Inuzuka and a young teacher from the Academy, the Aburame heir with a girl that had the distinct look of an Akimichi, Uzumaki and his bride, of course. Uchiha Sasuke was dancing with the youngest Hyuuga daughter, his face hard and still as she chattered at him.

Hinata and Gaara stood awkwardly together.

They watched as Gaara bent his head down slightly and say something to Hinata. She looked up and nodded and they moved to join the others. There was something oddly touching about the careful way his arm circled her waist and her hand lightly rested on his shoulder. They danced gingerly, almost a foot apart.

Kurenai smiled slightly.

"Well," she said, her voice warming, "We either don't have anything to worry about or they need our help desperately."

"Hunh," said Baki.

* * *

Kankuro kept an eagle eye out for Hiashi. There was no way that he was going to let the old fart cut in and spoil Gaara's time with Hinata.

Even if it meant that he didn't get to dance.

Kankuro loved to dance.

He had learned all sorts of dance styles as a way to study human motion and apply it to his puppets. The importance of teamwork and the ability to use space in the way a dancer did had helped him reach a mastery of both arts that very few could boast. He knew exactly how far a joint could stretch and where to add the most chakra for a burst of power in a leap.

The added bonus was that he found that he absolutely loved to dance.

Ballroom, ballet, modern, tap, he loved it all.

It wasn't something that was widely known.

Didn't really go with the whole Evil Puppet Master thing he had going on. Temari, Baki and Gaara and his dance instructor were the only people who knew. Temari because he'd made her partner him, Baki because, well, he was Baki, and Gaara because he'd discovered him doing a modern number he'd choreographed himself once.

He had to give the kid a lot of credit for his discretion back then. Gaara had never said anything about his dancing to anyone. He would just come and watch Kankuro practice whenever he could.

And he had never used it as the basis for his trash-talk.

Another reason to want to help the kid.

He scanned the room to see if he needed to run interference, but couldn't see the Hyuuga clan head.

Good.

He turned and watched Gaara and Hinata critically.

Little brother must have picked up some tips while he was watching Kankuro. He wasn't half bad. No spaghetti arms, a good frame. Perhaps a little too stiff, but not bad at all.

It didn't look like they were enjoying themselves, though.

They both gazed with stony concentration over each other's shoulders.

Damn.

At the rate they were going, the song would end and Gaara would probably walk off.

This was a disaster.

Something needed to be done.

Looking around, Kankuro saw a young woman standing alone at the edge of the dance floor.

With a quick, 'Let's dance' he snatched the girl by the right hand and pulled her onto the dance floor.

_Slow, slow, quick, quick._

"Hey!" said the girl, trying to pull away.

Kankuro added chakra to his grip on the girl's hand and waist.

"Listen," he said urgently, "I need your help."

_Slow, slow, quick, quick._

"What?" said the girl, indignantly. She tried harder to pull away.

Okay, it's like using a puppet. A reluctant, angry puppet that was gonna belt him when she got loose from all the chakra strings he was binding around her.

_Slow, slow, quick, quick._

"I need your help," he hissed, "You see those two?"

"Let me go, you ass!" the girl wriggled in his grasp and almost managed to free herself, "Who do you think you are? Let me go this minute before -."

"I'm begging you, please," said Kankuro, taking his eyes off his brother and Hinata to stare earnestly at the girl. "Really, I need your help. I'll let you go in a minute, I promise."

The girl frowned and stopped struggling, which was a good thing, because people were starting to look at them funny.

_Slow, slow, quick, quick._

"You have one minute to tell me what this is all about," she said, sharply, "If I don't like what I hear, I'm screaming bloody murder and you are going to be very sorry you messed with me."

"Yeah, yeah," said Kankuro. It was hard to keep the girl dancing, but not too much different from manipulating Crow, one of his favorite puppets. He glanced over at Gaara and Hinata.

_Slow, slow, quick, quick._

Shit, they were staring woodenly, not talking at all.

This was bad.

"Your time is almost up," said the girl in his arms, "tell me or I start screaming."

"Hunh? Oh!" Kankuro looked down at the girl. "See those two over there? The guy with the red hair and -."

_Promenade, side sway, sway._

"The Kazekage and Hyuuga Hinata?" said the girl, her eyes widening.

"Yeah," said Kankuro, "See, I want to dance over to them and get them talking or something."

_Hesitation, right turn._

"What?" said the girl, huffily, "That's ridiculous!"

"No, no, see," said Kankuro, "this is the first real dance Gaara's gone to, and he really likes this girl, and-."

_Dip and pose._

"You're his brother," said the girl, a little breathlessly.

"Yeah, that's right," said Kankuro, "and I want to help him with this girl, see-."

_Slow, slow, quick, quick._

The girl looked over at Gaara and Hinata.

"He likes Hinata-san?" she said, her voice strained.

"Yeah," Kankuro beamed down on his reluctant partner, "and I think she likes him, too-."

_Hesitation, left turn, dip and pose._

"You're kidding," said the girl. She looked sharply at Kankuro. "You're not kidding."

She looked speculatively at the couple in question.

_Backward, slow, slow, quick, quick._

"So, let me get this straight," she said, musingly, "you want them to dance and you want them to talk, too, and you're plan is for us to waltz up-."

"Fox trot," corrected Kankuro.

_Side sway, sway._

She looked at him like she was listing the order of torture she would use on him when she got free.

"Fox trot up to them and make them talk," she finished, biting off the words and spitting them out.

_Promenade, slow, slow, quick, quick._

"Right!" said Kankuro, glad she was getting the picture.

"You're insane," said the girl, "Why don't you just walk up to them? What do you need me for?"

"You're my cover," said Kankuro, "I don't want Hinata to see me. I just want to get Gaara to relax."

_Glide, glide, backward, slow, slow._

"Oh, kami," said the girl, panting a little, "you _are_ insane. Why did you have to pick me? Why couldn't you pick someone like Anko? She would have put you in your place."

"You're doing great," said Kankuro, the light of victory in his eyes. He and his partner were right behind Gaara.

"Psst, Gaara," hissed Kankuro.

_Side sway, sway._

Gaara gave a start and almost tripped Hinata.

"Insane," muttered the girl.

"What-!" Gaara started, glaring over his shoulder at his brother.

"Relax, bro," whispered Kankuro, "Enjoy yourself. Like this."

_Forward, slow, slow, quick, quick, glide, glide, dip and pose._

"Come on, dude," he said, encouragingly, ignoring his partner's rolling eyes, "Enjoy yourself. You can do it."

"Certifiably insane," the girl said.

"Is – is that your brother?" Hinata asked hesitantly, peering around Gaara's shoulder.

"Shit!" said Kankuro, "what are they doing now?"

_Forward, promenade._

"You want me to spy on them?" said the girl indignantly. She leaned a little to his left and watched Gaara and Hinata. "They look a little more relaxed."

"Really?" said Kankuro, surprised, "I didn't think this was gonna work."

_Side sway, sway._

"You really are insane, aren't you?" said the girl, shaking her head.

Kankuro noticed that he wasn't using nearly as much chakra to keep the girl in place. In fact, she was pretty much dancing on her own. And she was good.

_Backward, slow, slow, quick, quick._

He grinned down at her.

"Sorry about that," he said, "I'm just worried about him, that's all."

The girl looked thoughtfully at him and then at the other couple.

The music slowed to the end.

_Roll out and curtsy, bow._

They both were surprised at the burst of applause from the watching crowd.

* * *

Hiashi was not happy.

Things were getting out of control.

Somehow, all his plans to limit Hinata's contact with the Kazekage had fallen into ruins.

Every time he tried to get near them, the older brother and his dance partner, the Inuzuka daughter, would get in the way.

He probably should have enlisted the aid of his nephew, Neji, but he hadn't wanted to explain himself. Not that he needed explanations.

Absolutely, not.

As clan head, he merely gave an order and it would be obeyed.

It was not a power he abused, and he wasn't about to start now.

Especially not now.

Even if he had asked Neji to help him, he couldn't imagine how he would have done it.

'I don't like the way he looks at her' would have worked but seemed crude. 'I don't like the way she looks at him' sounded a little too – jealous? At any rate, not the impression he wanted to give Neji.

He wasn't sure what was bothering him, anyway.

The Godaime Kazekage was a fine catch for any girl. A marriage contract between the two would be very beneficial to the clan and would also cement relations between the Lands of Wind and Fire.

There was the boy's history as a psychopathic murderer, but that seemed to have resolved itself once the one-tailed beast had been extracted.

And, strangely enough, Hiashi liked the young man.

He was reserved, intelligent, and a strong jounin-level shinobi. He had brought Sunagakure back to prosperity after a long period of depression. His family was one of the leading clans in his country.

What was wrong then?

Perhaps it was the hunger Hiashi saw. Hunger for his daughter.

Hunger that could take his daughter away and consume her forever.

Even now, Gaara stood next to his daughter with some other young people, gazing down at her with an intensity that made warning bells ring in his head.

He started towards them when he was stopped by a low alto chuckle.

"My, my," said Tsunade, "Isn't this an interesting development."

Hiashi stopped and straightened his back. He looked down his nose at the woman.

"I don't know what you mean," he said, haughtily.

"Really?" Tsunade lifted a delicate honey-colored brow, "You don't think that it is interesting to see the Kazekage buzzing around your delicate flower?"

Several retorts ran through his head but he opted on lifting his own eyebrow in return.

"I must say," continued Tsunade, smiling at him, roguishly, "it's been quite entertaining watching you try to keep them apart."

Hiashi turned away. A slight blush crept up his pale cheeks.

"You do know, don't you, that trying to keep them apart will only bring them closer?"

Hiashi was glad that she couldn't see the faint look of chagrin that crossed his face.

"But of course you do," said Tsunade. She laced her arm companionably with his, "expert negotiator that you are."

Hiashi considered withdrawing his arm but decided against it. There were rules of etiquette that prohibited pulling away from a lady. He stood stoically, refusing to relax his arm. Maybe she would get the hint and go bother someone else.

"The thing that surprises me, is your attitude," said Tsunade, leaning closer to him.

He frowned slightly.

"There was a time, not so long ago when you were ready to disown Hinata-san. I thought you couldn't wait to get rid of her."

Stung, he turned on her, pulling his arm away.

"I never wanted to get rid of her," he said before he could stop himself.

Tsunade stood, unflustered, smiling at him warmly with her head tilted to the side.

"I know," she said. She picked up his right hand and settled it at her waist. "Come on, Papa, let's dance. Your little chick is growing up and there is nothing you can do about it. Might as well enjoy yourself."

Hiashi automatically took his left hand and picked up her right. His feet, however, refused to move.

"As your Hokage, I'm ordering you to dance with me," said Tsunade, narrowing her golden eyes dangerously, "so dance!"

He stepped out onto the floor with her and joined the other gliding couples.

He kept Gaara and Hinata in his sight as much as possible, ignoring Tsunade's obvious amusement.

The Hokage was right. His little chick was growing up. And he didn't like it one little bit.

* * *

"So?"

"So, what?"

"You know what!" she huffed, angrily, "what do you think?"

"I think you should mind your own business," he said, with a sigh. He liked the fox trot. It could be danced without too much thought as long as you didn't want to put in all the fancy stuff.

"Gaara is my business," she said, shoving him a little with the palm of her hand on his shoulder.

Unfortunately, Temari liked the fancy stuff. Apparently, and if he'd known it before he never would have asked her to dance, she'd been taking dance lessons with Kankuro for years. He obliged her with a hesitation turn into a pose.

"Gaara's a big boy now," he drawled, "leave him alone."

"Look, now" she said, frowning, "They're dancing again. Take me over there. You switch partners and I'll find out how things are going-."

"No," he said, flatly.

Temari stared at him in surprise.

"We are not going over there, we are not interrupting them, or coaching them, or interfering in anyway," Shikamaru said, firmly.

"But-."

"Temari, I know you love your brother and you don't want to see him hurt," said Shikamaru, pulling her closely and swaying to the rhythm of the music, "but you can't help him with this, sweetheart."

She looked up at him mutely, her lovely turquoise eyes filling with tears.

Oh, she was troublesome, his woman.

And he loved her troublesomeness, and her strength, and her boundless love for her brothers. He loved the whole prickly package, right down to her pretty toes.

Loved her enough to add another dip to the fox trot.

* * *

It was getting late, almost time for the party to end.

They had danced together the whole night.

Fast dances and slow ones, awkward at first. As they got used to each other, they danced without thought, enjoying the music and the closeness. They barely spoke, content to hold each other lightly and spin under the muted lights.

They had danced with others occasionally. He was the Kazekage, after all, and she was a dutiful Hyuuga and the hostess of the party. He had partnered the Hokage, Shizune and Sakura, while she had danced with Moroni Ibiki, Hatake Kakashi and an exuberant Naruto.

She could hardly remember dancing with anyone else.

"I have something for you," he'd said, quietly.

She'd nodded and was waiting for him now, standing on the arched bridge over the koi pond.

The early spring night was chilly but she found the cool air pleasant on her heated skin. The scent of damp earth and water and the sharp tang of sap beginning to flow was carried on the air and she inhaled deeply. She leaned over the smooth wooden railing and gazed down into the dark depths of the pond, not seeing the slim shapes of the fish moving sluggishly through the water. Seeing instead his face, solemn and beautiful, floating before her. Imagining his arms around her, tighter than during the dance, closer.

She heard the scrape of his shoe on the slate stone of the path leading to the bridge. She turned away from the pond, her hand resting on the rail for support. She watched him walk up the bridge slowly, his eyes fastened on her.

Her heart leapt.

He carried a long slim bundle wrapped in sky blue silk. He stopped a few paces away and held it out to her, an offering, moonlight shimmering in the folds of cloth.

She couldn't move.

He took a step, his eyes unwavering.

He took another. And another.

Until he stood before her with only the gift between them.

"May I open it for you?" he asked, his voice husky and low.

She nodded mutely and watched as elegant pale hands untied the corners of cloth wrapping the package. The fabric fell away, draping his hands. He held a folded fan, furled and tightly enclosed by the lacquered wood guard sticks.

He pulled the cloth away and stuffed it into his pocket, holding the fan tightly. He unfurled it slowly, watching her face anxiously.

"You can't really see it in this light," his voice cracking a little, "There is a craftsman in our village who is very skilled at painting these."

Stretched across the ribs was a painted scene of the desert. A twisted saksaul tree with tiny yellow flowers was in the foreground. One of the odd striated sandstone towers that dotted the deserts in the Land of Wind was in the background. The scene was bathed in the warm colors of the sunset. Even in the dim light she could see that the painting was extraordinarily detailed and beautiful.

She looked up at him in wonder.

"Thank you," she said, softly, "It's beautiful."

His face brightened.

"I should have given it to you where you could really see it. This light isn't right…I hope you don't mind that-."

"It's beautiful," she said, again, smiling.

He took a breath and held it.

"Hinata," he whispered. He took the fan from her lax fingers and wrapped it hastily in the silk, slipping the package into his pocket.

Shivers ran up her spine.

His face sharpened with purpose and he stepped forward as she stepped back to lean against the railing.

He put one hand over hers on the smooth wood, holding it in place and slipped the other around her waist.

She looked up at him, running her free hand up the solid curve of his chest, hesitating at his throat, then settling to rest lightly on his face, the texture of his skin slightly rough under her fingers.

She could hardly breathe. Her heart pounded and she felt faint.

He seemed to grow around her, encompassing her, until all she could see was his face, and feel his hands on her and the warmth of his body pressing against hers.

The sand armor shifted under her hand and fell from him, whispering softly, the grains glittering as they drifted through the slats of the bridge to fall in the water below.

His face, uncovered, the same but somehow different, more open, softer.

He leaned his head down asking mutely for permission and she tipped her head back, closing her eyes as his lips brushed hers.

His lips were cool and dry, harder than she expected.

He pressed his lips against hers again, firmly, pulling her against him.

Her lips parted in a small gasp and the kiss deepened.

Her hand slipped up to his neck, her fingers curling in the straight fall of hair.

His mouth was hot, demanding, his tongue sweeping against hers.

He let go of her other hand and pushed her against the railing wrapping both arms around her to hold her in place as he explored every inch of her mouth.

She pressed herself shamelessly against him, crushing her burning breasts against his, her own tongue bold.

They pulled apart, gasping wildly.

He groaned and fastened his mouth on hers again, angling his head to get deeper. He reached up with one hand to pull the neck of her dress away, kissing his way down her white throat to the collar bone. He licked her, nipping the tender flesh and she shivered, moving her head to give him better access.

He growled and pulled on the dress, pressing his hot lips into the swell of her breast. His hand reached around to fumble with the zipper at the back, pulling it open. The cloth slipped down, uncovering the lacy cup of her bra. He slipped his hand under her breast and cupped it, his thumb rubbing roughly over her nipple.

She melted inside. Burst into flame. Her blood seemed to reverse in her veins, filling her with hot desire. She pushed her breast into his hand, pulling his head up by tugging his hair to kiss him wildly.

* * *

She tasted sweeter than any honey. Her mouth was delicious. He couldn't get enough.

Her breast filled his hand, heavy and firm. Her nipple was hard against his thumb. He rolled it between his fingers and felt her tremble.

"Hinata!"

He gripped her tightly against him, lifting her so that he could settle his body in the cradle of her hips.

"Hinata! Where are you?"

His hand left her breast and slid down her hip to cup her bottom, the flesh resilient in his hand, rocking himself against her.

"Hinata! Father wants you!"

Hinata froze as if the koi pond had just spouted a geyser and doused them with it.

What had been a burning, writhing flame turned into a cold hard stone in his arms.

"Hanabi!" she hissed, pushing Gaara away with surprising strength.

"Wha-," he looked at her, his aqua eyes confused.

"Hanabi. My sister!" she turned her back to him and looked at him fiercely over her shoulder. "Quick. Zip me up!"

Gaara complied, his usually nimble fingers clumsy. The zipper caught in the fabric and he cursed.

"Quick! Quick!" she said, her voice high and panicky. She flapped her hands at him and he wanted to tell her that she was not helping but couldn't get his voice to work.

He backed the zipper down a little, ignoring her squeaks, and then pulled the zipper up neatly.

She ripped herself out of his hands and turned to face him, smoothing her dress down with frantic hands.

"How do I look?" she said, anxiously.

"Fine, good," he said, not exactly sure what she wanted him to say. Her lips were swollen and there was a tiny bite mark on her collar bone. He thought about mentioning that, but decided against it. She was already upset. He somehow knew that that piece of information wouldn't help.

Her eyes softened and she smiled ruefully at him.

"I'm sorry. I better go," she looked over shoulder towards the house. Hanabi's form could be seen silhouetted by the light from the dance floor.

"Yes," he said, suddenly bereft. He pulled the fan out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Your gift."

"Thank you," she said, warmly, clasping it to her bosom. She hurried forward and pressed a hasty kiss on his mouth. She paused, one hand on his shoulder. "Thank you," she said, her voice husky.

He shivered. He grabbed her and fastened his mouth onto hers.

He was not letting her get away without one more kiss.

The kiss was deep and hungry and finished too soon.

He loosened his grip on her and she slid down his body.

"I'd b-better go," she said, dazedly, she turned and slowly walked away, one hand pressed to her mouth.

"Hinata!" called Hanabi.

Hinata threw one more burning glance at him and then ran down the path towards her sister.

He thought he liked Hinata's little sister.

Now, he was not so sure.

* * *

_**A/N: So, what did you think? What did you think? No, I mean it, I really want to know! Please review and make my snowy day brighter.**_

_**A few odd points:**_

_**Although dogs are color blind, they can see some colors. Blues and lavenders register the highest on whatever meter is used to test dog eye-sight. Somehow, I don't think it's the visual eye chart we use. I hope it's not painful.**_

_**The dance part is based on my very limited knowledge of ballroom dance. I was going for the feel of the dance, so I apologize profusely if I upset any experts. I love ballroom and would hate to disparage the art.**_

_**Black and white saksauls are the most prevalent vegetation in the Asian deserts. They hold a lot of water and have been used to replenish the Chinese deserts. They are also endangered. Look them up. There are some pretty cool pictures of them available online.**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: This chapter was so much harder to write than I thought it would be. I wanted to put in a lot, and it may seem kind of crammed in there. I hope it works…Oh, yes, there is some discussion of a sexual nature, so be aware.**_

_**Do not. Not at all.**_

* * *

Chapter Eleven: After the Ball Was Over

Kankuro stood in the doorway to Gaara's suite, yawning mightily. Baki and Gaara were discussing something at quarter to crack o' dawn. Kami, what now?

He was dog-tired and his mind reeled from dream-chasing that girl he'd danced with the night before. What a tease! Sarcastic, flirty, and a hell of a dancer. He knew she was an Inuzuka by the triangular marks on her face, but she wouldn't tell him her name. Damn, he was gonna find that girl and –

"When do we leave?" asked Baki, rolling the report up tightly, his knuckles whitening as he clutched the papers.

"Within the hour," said Gaara, "Jiro is getting two teams together to leave. I'll travel with the first. I want to get to Suna quickly. The second can travel with the wagon team. Kankuro will head that up while you travel with me. I think we may need to request some guards from the Hokage. Can you see to it?"

"Of course," said Baki, turning and exiting, just barely moving aside to allow a tousled Kankuro to enter.

"What's up?" said Kankuro, scratching his belly, "Better be good. I was having me a nice dream -."

"The aquifer's been sabotaged," Gaara said, flatly.

"Wha-!" Kankuro stopped and starred. "You're kidding!" As if by magic, his usual insouciant air disappeared and he snapped into alertness. "When do we leave?"

"I'm leaving with Baki and two ANBU in an hour. I want you to make sure the wagon team is packed and ready to go as soon as possible to follow us. I've asked Baki to arrange for some escorts from Leaf to accompany you."

"Right," said Kankuro, "Anything else?"

"There's something I need to do before I go," Gaara said, ruefully.

"Hunh? Oh!" said Kankuro, looking down and seeing a note with the Hyuuga crest on it. He smiled broadly. "A little follow-up to last night, eh?"

"Something like that," Gaara hesitated, then turned the letter around for Kankuro to read.

#

_Kazekage-sama,_

_Greetings,_

_I am requesting an audience with you at my home to discuss a matter that has come to my attention. I hope that you will be able to attend me this morning at your earliest convenience. I believe that there are some issues that need clarification. _

_Awaiting your reply,_

_Lord Hyuuga Hiashi, _

_Hyuuga Clan Leader_

#

Short, to the point, and barely civil.

Damn, even a Kazekage was not above being scolded about a daughter.

"Oh, man," he said, "This really bites. So Daddy didn't like you paying attention to his precious daughter, hunh?"

He surprised himself at the nasty edge to his voice.

"I don't blame him," Gaara said, more to himself than to his brother, "I'm not exactly the kind of man a father would want for his child."

"Oh? You mean strong, intelligent, hardworking? The kind of man who puts others first? Who protected his whole village at the cost of his own life? What father wouldn't want a man like that?" Kankuro was almost shouting when he finished, glaring at Gaara, his hands fisted on the desk as he leaned over the note aggressively. "You know something? It really pisses me off when people talk like that about you! Even if it's you!"

"So I see," said Gaara, mildly, his eyes wide, "I'll remember that for the future."

"Do that," growled Kankuro, a little sheepishly, "So, what's your plan?"

"I'm going over to meet with Hyuuga-sama and find out what is on his mind," said Gaara.

"Best of luck to you, brother," said Kankuro, shaking his head sadly, "It's been nice knowin' ya."

"You think he's going to try to kill me?" Gaara looked at his brother incredulously.

"Nope," said Kankuro, "He might castrate you."

Both brothers took a step back and turned slightly away from the other.

"Nonsense," said Gaara, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Just how far did you go with pretty Miss Hinata, anyway?" said Kankuro, a grin starting. He settled down on the edge of the guest suite desk. This was gonna be good.

Gaara turned away mumbling something about how warm the suite was.

"Didja kiss her?" said Kankuro. It was funny, watching little bro squirm.

"None of your business," growled Gaara. He walked over to the thermostat on the wall and peered at it.

"So, I'll take it you did," said Kankuro, the grin widening. "Any tongue? Hickeys? Groping?"

Gaara tapped at the thermostat sharply.

"As I said, none of your business."

The cork of the sand gourd popped out loudly and bounced off the ceiling. A snake of sand surrounded Kankuro's throat and squeezed, not very gently.

Kankuro whistled in appreciation.

"Well, way to go, little brother," he said.

The sand gave an extra squeeze before sliding back into the gourd.

"It's not -. I didn't -," Gaara stumbled over the words uncharacteristically. He looked over at his brother a little helplessly. "What do you think I should do? I don't …"

Kankuro blinked.

This kind of advice was not really his thing.

Actually, advice of any sort was not really his thing.

Especially advice about how to handle an irate daddy.

He stayed away from girls without experience.

Too messy.

But it was different for Gaara.

Gaara was as untried and untested as a schoolgirl.

As far as Kankuro knew, he'd never even had sex, let alone a girlfriend. Or a boyfriend, for that matter.

Once, shortly after the extraction of the Sand Demon, Gaara had come to him in the night, shaken and fearful. It had been shocking to see his aloof brother in that condition. He'd been unable to get anything coherent out of the kid except for an agonized wail.

"It's back! It's back!"

Kankuro had bundled the hysterical teenager into a blanket and sent for Baki.

When Baki had arrived, the two were able to calm Gaara down enough to hear his choking confession.

He'd had a wet dream.

Kankuro had almost laughed until Gaara continued to confess, a torrent of hideous images he had endured since babyhood, memories he'd inherited when he became a vessel for the One-Tailed Beast.

Kankuro had listened in horror, realizing fully for the first time, the torment Gaara had suffered.

The Sand Demon had not been a jovial tanuki, like those in the folk-tales. Shukaku had been an ancient beast, full of twisted desires. Gaara had been an unwilling participant in the evil creature's carnal pleasures, experiencing massive orgasms brought on by blood and pain. He had hated and feared the tangled, confusing feelings that had swept through him. He had suffered through them alone, a terrified child.

Once Shukaku had gone, he had been horrified when he experienced an erection during the night, thinking that the beast possessed him again.

In his usual gruff manner, Baki had explained things to Gaara. He gave him a medical scroll on the workings of the male and female bodies and told him how to masturbate as a way of relieving himself. It wasn't until his lecture was almost complete that Baki had said that sexual feelings were natural or normal.

Gaara didn't believe him. He'd stared at the scroll, tears drying on his face.

Kankuro had realized that, for Gaara, everything that was normal and natural to most people would be tainted by demonic memories. He'd quietly gone to the bathroom and thrown up. When he came back, wiping his mouth, Baki was gone, replaced by Temari, and Gaara was huddled on Kankuro's bed wrapped in a blanket sleeping, his face streaked with dirt and tears. Kankuro had felt a weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders. How to help someone so damaged? What to say? He wanted suddenly, passionately, to make sure his brother enjoyed some of the normal pleasures he had taken for granted. He and his sister took turns watching their little brother through the night, a silent agreement between them to protect him.

The next morning, Kankuro woke to find Temari was gone and the kid was staring up at the ceiling sadly.

Finally, Gaara had hesitantly asked Kankuro if Baki was telling him the truth.

"Yeah, what's the big deal?" Kankuro had said, scowling, "Baki gave me that medical scroll, too. That's not gonna help you, man. You need something to give yourself a little, uh, inspiration, you know what I mean?"

Gaara had shaken his head, staring at his older brother, obviously clueless.

"Here," said Kankuro, grunting as he rolled over on his bed and peered under it. He'd dragged some magazines out from under the mattress and blown off a dust bunny that clung to the corner of one. He'd rifled through the stack, selecting a couple and tossing them to Gaara. "These are pretty good. Doin' it in the shower works great 'cause you can use the soap. Hand cream works, too. Or spit."

Gaara had stared at the magazines in amazement. One was called _Bathhouse Beauties _and showed a naked woman rising from a bubble bath, the bubbles dripping from her unbelievably ample curves. _Ninja Minx_ displayed an equally well-endowed woman with torn clothing struggling with an evil looking fully clothed rogue-nin in a forest.

"These are yours?" he'd stuttered.

"Sure," said Kankuro, nonchalantly. He'd picked up a magazine from the tumbled stack and flipped through it. "Course, now I have sex with real women, so I don't need these like I used to. Still, you never know when a good hand-job may become a necessity."

"Can I – can I have these?" Gaara had asked, his voice breathless.

"Little brother," said Kankuro, grinning widely, "It's the least I can do!"

He'd never asked Gaara about that night and whether - things – were better. It wasn't something he felt he could bring up. But he'd had hopes.

Now, watching his brother fiddle with the thermostat with what looked like a faint blush rising in his pale cheeks, Kankuro felt a rush of pride. Maybe his family was totally fucked up and never going to be completely normal, but, hell, his brother had the hots for a girl! And had kissed her!

Kankuro hopped off the desk and stretched.

"Well, little brother," he said, cheerfully, "better hurry up and face the music so you can kiss the girl again before you go."

Kankuro sauntered towards his own room, planning on a quick shower and a recon mission to find out the name of his dance partner before he left. After all, why should Gaara have all the fun?

"Just keep your pecker covered," he said, shutting the door on Gaara's startled face.

* * *

Baki walked out of the Hokage tower considering his next move. The Hokage was sending for two shinobi escorts for the wagon team and he felt confident that they would be competent enough to handle the situation. He should be heading back to the Kazekage's suite to make sure his things were packed, but that would be a superfluous action. He knew he was packed.

He never unpacked.

Never.

Even back in Suna, he kept his travel gear ready to go in the tiny closet by his front door.

One never knew when the call to duty would come.

He checked his watch. Forty-five minutes before he had to be at the gate to leave with the Kazekage.

Plenty of time to follow up on another matter.

He had been perfectly aware of the other communication his student had received.

Hyuuga.

Perhaps it would be good policy just to head over towards the compound and scope out the grounds. And if Gaara was going in person to answer note, then he would be on site and available should the Kazekage need back-up.

He crossed the street and cut through the park towards the Hyuuga estate.

"Hello," said a warm female voice to his left.

Baki's shoulders twitched.

How had she gotten so close without him noticing? He was really off his game. He chastised himself mentally.

He stopped and turned slightly, scanning the woman with his right eye.

"Yuuhi-san," he said, bowing stiffly, "Good morning."

He was suddenly awash with the memory of her lush body in his arms as they danced the night before, the smell of her hair and her skin, a faint aroma of camellias and, oddly, chocolate.

He stayed bent down for a moment longer than usual, harshly willing his heart rate to slow down. His face schooled again into a cool demeanor, he straightened up.

She was watching him, a small smile curving her shapely lips.

"Good morning," she said.

"Mommy! Mommy!" a little boy was standing on a mound of dirt waving at her, "you're not watching! Watch me! Watch me!"

She turned towards the boy and waved back, her smile widening, her eyes crinkling at the corners.

Baki's breath caught in his throat.

He couldn't remember ever seeing anything so lovely in his life.

"I'm watching, Daichi," she called, "go ahead."

The boy jumped off the dirt and ran around the pile again to climb up.

"See? See how far I can jump?! Watch!"

They both watched the boy jump off the mound and run around to do it again.

"I was sorry to hear of Sarutobi-san's death," said Baki, gruffly. "He was a good man."

Kurenai sighed a little, her smile a little sadder.

"Yes," she said, "He was."

They watched Daichi, the image of his father, together.

"I," Baki hesitated, clearing his throat. What was he doing? He was intruding on this time with her son. He needed to find Gaara, get ready to leave, stop standing next to this beautiful woman.

"I enjoyed dancing with you," she said, softly.

He was speechless. His jaw slackened and almost fell open in surprise. He turned a little more to get a better view of her from his good right eye.

Had her smiled deepened? Become mischievous?

"I – uh, yes, I enjoyed it, too," he said, lamely. He turned away again to watch the little boy, who was now chasing pigeons.

Daichi ran up to Kurenai, his round baby face glowing.

"Didja see? Didja see?" he huffed, "Mommy, didja see? I almost caught one!"

Kurenai crouched down to catch the sweaty boy and hug him.

"I did see," she said, laughter in her voice, "you were very fast."

Daichi looked up at Baki.

"Mister," he said, "Didja see me, too?"

Baki looked down, hesitating. He made it a general rule not to talk to children. But both mother and child were looking up at him expectantly.

"Yes," he said, gruffly, "I saw."

"I'm gonna be a ninja, right, Mommy? Like my Daddy and my Mommy!" the little boy boasted, "I have to get really fast, right, Mommy? Are you a ninja, Mister? Hunh? Are you? Do you run fast, Mister, hunh? Do you?"

"I," said Baki, feeling a little as if the ground was moving under his feet. He looked at Kurenai for a cue, but she was hiding her mouth in her hand, her burgundy eyes sparkling. "Yes, I'm a ninja and I can run fast."

Kurenai stood up smoothly, holding Daichi's hand tightly.

"Daichi, this is Baki-sensei," she said, "Say hello."

"Ohayou-gozaimasu," said the little boy, dipping his head. He reached for Baki's hand and held on to it. "Do you like ice-cream, Mister? Hunh? Do you? Do you like ice-cream? 'Cause we're getting ice-cream. I like ice-cream. I like chocolate. What ice-cream do you like? Do you like chocolate? Mommy likes vanilla. I like vanilla, too, but mostly I like chocolate. Chocolate is my favorite! Do you like chocolate?"

Baki looked in bemusement at the little boy who jumping up and down, using Baki's hand as an anchor. He looked up at the woman. She was no longer covering her mouth and she was smiling widely.

"Would you like to join us?" she said, over her son's head.

"I," he looked into her eyes reading nothing but welcome in them. He could feel something unravel inside, a tiny knot that he hadn't known was there. "I would enjoy that," he said.

Her smile became smaller but no less sweet.

"Alright, Daichi, lead the way to the ice-cream store," she said, quietly.

"Yes!" said Daichi, tugging on both their hands and launching into a list of his favorite ice-cream flavors, all of which contained some form of chocolate.

Baki followed, bemused.

This woman had more power in her smile than in any genjutsu he'd ever encountered.

* * *

Inuzuka Hana, eldest daughter of the head Inuzuka dog-nin clan and well-established Konoha veterinarian loped home to get her gear with a toothy grin on her face.

This was going to be fun.

She'd been annoyed to get the message that she would be needed for escort duty. She'd planned on catching up on adding in the genetics test results from the last batch of puppies Shiroki had whelped to the geneology map that had been maintained for generations of nin-dogs. It was her responsibility to keep the data up-to-date and she'd procrastinated a little. This delay would not please her mother, she'd thought as she headed towards the Hokage tower to get her assignment details.

Lady Tsunade had been unusually gleeful as she'd outlined the mission to the two-man team. It was a simple enough assignment, hardly meriting an escort. Was the Hokage enjoying the obvious dismay of her team-mate?

He sure hadn't taken the news well, Hana reflected, zipping her pack closed and slinging it over her shoulders.

Of course, it was always fun to see the Hyuuga clan prodigy squirm a little.

She wrote a quick note to let her mother and Kiba know that she was going to be gone on a mission and headed toward the village gate.

She had had a great time at the party the night before.

Once she'd gotten over her irritation at the way she'd been picked up by the Kazekage's brother, she'd really had a blast.

He was a fun guy, cracking jokes when he wasn't trying to find out her name. It had been flattering to have him try so hard, and she'd enjoyed the clever ways he'd try to trick her. And he was a great dancer.

Hana loved to dance. Her whole family did. They had had many a hilarious evening doing the jitterbug and swing, her ma and pa, and she and Kiba. After Pa had died, they hadn't busted out as much, and Hanna had missed the fun.

The Puppet guy had kind of reminded her of her pa. Rough around the edges, a slick talker, kind of handsome, but not a pretty boy.

Someone who enjoyed being in the moment.

And she liked how he worried about his brother.

Once she'd figured out what he was up to, last night, she'd been unusually touched. And intrigued. She wasn't insulted at all that he'd picked her up, not to make a move on her, but to make one on his brother! It made her laugh.

It still did.

There was a bubble of laughter that had sparkled in her chest all last night and that still tickled when she woke up the next morning.

She caught sight of the Suna wagon and sauntered up to the gate, looking around for her partner.

The Hyuuga brat wasn't there yet. Probably off worrying about his cousin.

Kami, the way that family treated Hinata, it was a wonder the girl was sane.

Hana liked Hinata a lot. As one of Kiba's team-mates, she'd become a part of the Inuzuka's pack, and Hana felt responsible for the girl. She just wished she showed a little more gumption when it came to all those alpha males in her family.

Speaking of alpha males, wasn't that her dance partner, leaning up against the tail of the wagon and peering into it?

Had to be, even though he was swathed in a loose black outfit. And did it have cat ears?

"Mornin," she said, jauntily, strolling up to the Puppet nin.

He turned suddenly, almost knocking over the smaller man next to him and stared at her, eyes wide. His mouth gaped open.

She grinned.

This was going to be a blast.

* * *

Neji stood outside Hiashi's study door, his arms folded over his chest.

He was not happy.

The assignment from the Hokage couldn't come at a worse time.

While he thought it would be a good idea to learn more about the Kazekage and his intentions towards Hinata, he really wanted to stay and talk some sense into his shy cousin.

What was she thinking?

She'd spent almost the whole night in the company of Suna leader and then had disappeared with the man into the garden.

Neji knew this, because Tenten had gotten pretty annoyed with him when he'd almost followed them out.

She had told him in no uncertain terms that if he had any hopes of a pleasant ending to the evening's activities, he needed to quit harassing Hinata – Tenten's words – and pay attention to his own date.

"You should be happy for Hinata," Tenten had said, somewhat acidly, "she's moved on from Naruto and found someone who obviously thinks she's great."

"He's a cold-blooded killer," Neji had said.

Tenten had stopped in her tracks and glared at him.

"Ninja," she'd said, flatly.

And weren't they all cold-blooded killers sometime?

He'd taken her advice and paid attention to his date.

Consequently enjoying a very more-than-pleasant, one could even say, mind-blowing, ending to the evening's activities.

Now, he was standing outside his uncle's study, debating what he should do without destroying his relationship with his girl-friend and his cousin.

He wanted to protect Hinata. He'd been born to protect her and it was a habit that was very difficult to break. Even in the dark old days when he'd hated and resented her, he'd struggled with the need to protect her. He'd realized a long time ago that the one time he'd almost killed her, it had been a twisted way of protecting her from the weaknesses he had seen in her.

He had slowly come to think of Hinata as his best friend, second only to Tenten. She was his confidante, one of the few people he felt truly comfortable being around. He depended on her, on her quiet strength and good sense and gentle encouragement.

It had been sad to see her rejected by the clan as clan leader. She would have been good for the clan. And he'd felt badly for her that Naruto had never noticed her. But there was a part of him, a selfish part of him, that had been glad that her status hadn't changed. She would always be there when he needed her.

The door opened and Gaara stepped out, cool and aloof, followed by an equally cool and aloof Hiashi.

The two haughty men bowed shallowly to one another.

"Thank you, Kazekage-sama, for taking the time to meet with me," said Hiashi, in his most formal tones.

"I am grateful that you made the time as well, Hyuuga-sama," said Gaara, in equally chilly tones.

"Neji-san," said Hiashi, "Please escort the Kazekage to the gardens. He wishes to speak to Hinata before returning to Suna. Kazekage-sama, I wish you a safe journey."

The two men bowed stiffly again.

"Thank you for your hospitality," said Gaara. He turned to Neji.

Neji lifted an eyebrow and waited for the slight nod from Hiashi.

Whatever had gone between the two men was staying between them. Even to someone proficient using the Byakugan blood line limit, it was difficult to read them.

"This way, Kazekage-sama," said Neji, indicating the door out to the gardens. Gaara swept past him and headed out the door, pausing only to slip on the geta that were kept by the steps.

Neji looked over his shoulder at his uncle only to see the swing of robes as the study closed. He followed the Kazekage out and walked past him towards the koi pond.

The two young men walked in silence over the bridge, Gaara's geta making a clack-clack sound on the wooden planks.

Neji could sense the other man's chakra begin to spike and he looked over at the impassive face. He led him through a low archway to the edge of what was known as Hinata's garden and stopped briefly. He waited for Gaara to catch up and pointed towards another archway.

"Hinata's garden is there," he said. Gaara started forward, halting when Neji spoke again.

"Do not hurt her," said Neji, quietly.

Gaara turned and looked at him, his face still and his eyes watchful.

"I do not intend to," he said, briefly.

Neji nodded and Gaara stepped through the archway.

Neji followed enough until he could see Hinata kneeling in front of a flower bed. She lifted her head at the sound of their footsteps and he was pleased that her body moved into a posture of readiness.

She looked over her shoulder at the approaching men.

Neji stopped cold, his feet nailed in place by the power of the sultry look she gave the man next to him.

"I'll wait for you at the gate to the compound, Kazekage-sama," he said.

He stepped back, shaken, feeling that he had intruded on something very private.

* * *

Hinata stood up gracefully and turned to Gaara, her eyes alight.

He couldn't breathe for a moment.

She was beautiful.

And her eyes shone for him.

He felt humble, unworthy of her open, warm regard.

He wanted to drop to his knees before her and worship her.

Instead, he stepped forward and took the two hands she held out to him.

He had left her last night in a fever of arousal and frustration and happiness. He had relived every moment on the bridge several times, going further in his imagination until he'd fallen into an exhausted doze, tangled in the sweaty sheets of his guest room bed.

He'd had to take a very long shower before he could face the messages that had come in the morning.

Now, holding her hands, he wanted kiss her senseless, ravish her, do all the things he had imagined.

Instead he pulled her closer, holding her hands against his breast.

She smiled up at him, unafraid.

It was a gift to him, her fearlessness.

"I must return to Suna soon," he said.

Was he wrong to feel glad when her eyes saddened?

"I heard," she said softly, leaning her head against his heart. He lowered his own head until his cheek lay against hers.

They stood for a few moments, their breathing aligned.

"Will you show me your garden?" he said, quietly.

"Of course," she stepped away, keeping one of his hands tightly clasped in hers, tugging him gently deeper into the cool green space.

He could sense her sudden shyness and squeezed her hands gently.

"It's n-not a f-formal garden," she said, diffidently, "not beautiful like my father's gardens…"

He looked around, surprised.

The path meandered and was made of different kinds of stone and wood and tile, broken and chipped, but grouped together in a complex pattern that tempted the feet to go deeper. There was a concrete bench, a smooth organic shape, rounded with scooped out seating and a place to set cups. The whole thing was covered in tiny pieces of pottery and glass and stones, a mosaic with no exact pattern, but starbursts of color and backgrounds of blue and green and gold. There were bells and mobiles of glass and metal and wood hanging from branches that shifted, clanging gently. There was a table made of different kinds of furniture, a chair back, the rounded spindles of a banister, an old go board. There were beds of crocus and snowdrops and bluebells and some daffodils bursting from a broken blue pot. There was a wooden lounge chair that looked like it had been dragged out of a dumpster, covered with a faded but lovely bedspread of soft rose and blue. A tray lay across it with writing materials and a tea cup. A small brazier with a teapot stood next to the chair, steaming gently in the cold morning air. An old sakura tree sheltered it, blooming in the angle of a fence and a stone wall. He could hear the flutter of wings and the busy chirping of birds and, somewhere, was the steady drip of water.

It was a place where all the broken useless things had been given a home.

She was right. It was not anything like the beautiful calm pristine gardens he had just walked through.

It was gorgeous, riotous, joyful. It was like her, shy and splendid.

He loved it. He wished with all his heart that he could stay with her here for a while.

He stopped, pulling her hand to bring her back to him.

"It's beautiful here," he said, wrapping his arms around her small form, "I wish I could stay, but I must go."

She tipped her face back and looked up at him, timid but brave.

"Kiss me, please?" she said, her eyes wide and silvery in the morning light.

"Oh, yes," he whispered, and lowered his mouth to hers.

This was not the hungry kiss of last night. It was tender, gentle, subtle. The briefest touch of tongue and teeth to echo the appetite of before. It was a promise of sweeter kisses to come.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her to kiss him back.

And she was much more ferocious.

* * *

They walked together to the gate, trailing behind Neji.

They didn't speak or hold hands or lean on one another, but she felt that they moved as one unit, joined in some invisible way.

Her heart soared.

She was afraid for him, for his journey, and whatever it was that called him so hastily away. She was sad that they couldn't spend more time together. She longed for more kisses in a shocking way that brought a blush to her cheek as they walked.

But her heart soared.

He glanced over at her, a tiny cocky smile on his lips as if he could read her thoughts and she blushed more deeply.

The Suna guard stood at the gate with Baki and the wagon team.

Surprisingly, Kurenei-sensei and little Daichi were standing there, as well, Daichi talking a mile a minute to Gaara's solemn teacher.

Less surprisingly, Temari and Shikamaru were there, lounging against the wagon with Kankuro and Inuzuka Hana. They straitened up as Gaara approached, Temari hurrying forward.

"There you are," said Temari, sharply, frowning a little at Hinata.

Hinata felt a guilty moment of doubt. She probably shouldn't have kept him quite so long, but, oh, this boy could kiss her socks off. She blushed again.

She heard a soft huff of air from Gaara that sounded a little like a chuckle and she looked at him reprovingly under her lashes.

"There you are!" shouted Naruto, popping up seemingly from behind them, startling the rough ponies and making them prance in their traces. The driver cursed and cast a dirty look at the loud blonde. "Oh, man, I can't believe you gotta go so soon! I was hoping to spar with you!"

Naruto clapped an arm around Gaara and gave him a quick hug which Gaara endured rather rigidly.

"I'm so glad you came, man, really, it means a lot to me and Sakura that you came," said Naruto, easy tears starting in his brilliant blue eyes.

"Thank you," said Gaara, "I was glad to come. You are my friend." He let out a little 'ooff' of air as Naruto hugged him again.

"You bet!" Naruto glanced over at Hinata and grinned. "So I guess you and Hinata are getting together, hunh? That's so cool!"

The whole party froze, and it seemed to Hinata that everyone leaned in a little to hear Gaara's answer. Except for Neji, who turned away, clenching his fists muttering something under his breath.

"You know," continued Naruto, in what he probably thought was a conspiratorial tone, but what had the carrying power of a stage whisper sufficient for the largest Opera house in the world, "Hinata used to have a major crush on me. I mean major! Right, Hinata?"

Hinata turned pale and stared at her former unrequited love. Was he really going to do this now, at the village gates?

Apparently so.

"Really?" said Gaara, coldly.

Hinata felt as if a knife had slashed something vital between them. She looked at Gaara, startled.

Surely he had known.

Everyone knew.

Except Naruto.

And Gaara.

"Oh, yeah," said Naruto, cheerfully, "for years. Everyone knew about it but me, right, Hinata? But now she's with you, so everything's cool, right? So, when are you leaving?"

"Right now," said Gaara shortly, signaling to Baki and stepping out onto the road away from the village.

Hinata stood alone and watched him go, frozen.

Was he going to look back?

"Bakka," said Neji, viciously to Naruto. He hurried over to Hinata. "It's alright. I'll explain. Hinata, it'll be alright."

The wagon started up and Neji turned to join them looking over his shoulder at his cousin.

Was that him now, looking back?

"Hey!" shouted Temari, hurrying after Gaara.

"Tcha," said Shikamaru, slouching over to Hinata, and standing behind her.

Was he still not looking back at her?

Naruto hunkered down and peered at her frozen, pale face.

"Hinata," he said, gently, "he didn't know?"

She shook her head slowly, tears welling in her eyes.

She was afraid to blink. If he turned around she might miss him.

"I'm sorry, Hinata," said Naruto, "I should have watched my mouth."

Kurenai and Daichi hurried up to her.

"Hinata," said Kurenai softly, putting her arm around Hinata's shoulder.

Hinata could hardly feel her or feel Daichi as he pressed his cheek against her leg.

"Hina-chan? You okay? You okay?" said Daichi, anxiously, his own eyes wet. "Don't cry, Hina-chan, don't cry."

But she couldn't help herself, as the tears rolled down her white cheeks.

* * *

_**A/N: What? Did you think I couldn't make a cliff hanger out of a simple romance? You've read my stories, right? I can make a cliff hanger out of a trip to the grocery store. Besides, need to shake things up a little for Gaara and Hinata, okay?**_

_**Anyway, I hope this answers some questions and raises some more.**_

_**Please let me know what you think. I do value your thoughts.**_

_**M.**_


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N: I do not own Naruto.**_

* * *

Chapter Twelve: Family

It had taken awhile before Shikamaru had been able to move Hinata out of the street and head her towards away from curious onlookers.

Fortunately, Kurenai and Daichi had been there to comfort the girl while he had been left to the task of beating Naruto to a bloody pulp.

Figuratively speaking, of course.

Naruto was already doing a pretty good job of beating himself up, pulling on his hair and shouting, "Kami, Hinata I'm so sorry! Damn! Why can't I keep my mouth shut!" and other things that were not helping the situation at all and attracting way too much attention, in Shikamaru's considered opinion.

The Hokage was not going to be pleased with this little episode, he reflected, pretty sure that the mysterious and rapid Konoha gossip train was already speeding to that volatile station.

Time to take care of that later.

Now, he had to shut Naruto up and get Hinata off some place where she could recover in private. He intercepted a look from Kurenai and nodded.

"Naruto, you baka, shut the hell up," he growled, smacking Naruto on the back of the head to get his attention.

"Hunh? What?" said Naruto, pausing for a moment in his torrent of self-incrimination, "Shikamaru! Come on! I'm going after that asshole and drag him back here and tell him everything."

"Naruto," said Shikamaru through gritted teeth, "Shut! Up!" He quickly lassoed the hyper blonde's feet with shadow cords, pulling them tight. Naruto fell backwards onto his ass with a satisfying plop.

"Ow!" whined Naruto, "Shikamaru, why'd ya do that? We gotta get going -."

"Listen, you moron," hissed Shikamaru, "you're making things worse for Hinata. Look at her."

Naruto looked over at the still figure of his friend and gulped. His eyes watered.

"I thought I was being helpful," he said sadly, "You know, congratulating them on getting together."

"Yeah," said Shikamaru, curtly, "Okay, so you want to help."

Naruto nodded slowly, the corners of his mouth turning down.

Oh, crap, he's probably going to burst into tears and cause another scene.

"Okay, so be helpful," said Shikamaru, putting all his jounin authority in his voice, "Get up and help me get Hinata to Kurenai's house. She'll know what to do."

"Yosh!" A light shone in Naruto's eyes and he leapt to his feet, easily breaking the shadow hold on his ankles.

Never was strong enough to hold the baka for long.

"Quietly!" hissed Shikamaru, "Hinata doesn't need all this attention, stupid!"

"Oh, right," said Naruto, his shoulders hunching.

He headed towards Hinata purposefully before Shikamaru could stop him, stopping directly in front of the girl and stooping down until he was face level with her.

Great. Now what?

Naruto took Hinata's hands into his and rubbed them gently.

"Hinata, sweetie," he said gently, "Hinata, look at me, honey."

Shikamaru held his breath as Hinata's frozen stare melted and she focused on Naruto's face.

"It's going to be alright, honey, believe it," said Naruto.

"Naruto-kun," said Hinata, her voice so faint it could barely be heard.

"Come on, honey," said Naruto, putting one arm around her and gently turning her away from the gate. "Let's get you out of the street, okay?"

The two headed away towards Kurenai's apartment, Naruto murmuring gently to the girl, supporting her in a firm embrace.

Shikamaru and Kurenai looked at each other for a moment, astonishment clear on their faces.

"Mommy! Mommy! Where are they going? Is Hina-chan okay? I want to go! I want to go with Hina-chan!" Daichi tugged on Kurenai's skirt pulling her after the retreating pair.

"Yes, baby, we're going," said Kurenai. She looked over at Shikamaru, "I'll see if I can't get her to stay with me for awhile, yes?"

"Yeah," said Shikamaru, "That's good."

He sighed. Damn, but he hated drama.

"I better tell the Hokage," he grumbled, "I'll see if I can find Sakura or Ino, send them along to your house."

Kurenai looked grateful and smiled briefly.

"Thank you," she said and picked Daichi up to hurry after Hinata and Naruto.

Shikamaru was left at the gate, scratching the back of his head.

He spared a moment to glance down the shadowy road past the gates of his hidden village.

_It will be alright, Temi-chan. I promise._

* * *

"Damn it!" Temari spat out her tea and flung the cup into the fire.

No one spoke or moved to rescue the piece of pottery. Sometimes cups were less important than letting Temari get it all out. She'd been bitchy ever since she'd joined them after trying to talk to Gaara.

Kankuro wasn't sure what happened, but whatever it was hadn't improved her mood any.

She pushed off from the log she was sitting on and strode off into the woods.

"Should I…?" said Hana, quietly, her head cocked in the direction Temari had taken.

Kankuro shook his head.

"I'll go after her in a minute," he said, poking the cup with a stick and raking it out of the coals. He could see a fresh white chip on the rim and watched it fill in with soot. He'd have to wait till it cooled down before he could see if it was salvageable.

_This seriously sucks._

He glanced up and caught Hana's eye. She smiled at him warmly, standing and stretching her lithe body in a way that would have had him thinking all about how to get her alone _right now _if he weren't instead worrying like a dillweed about his baby brother. She smiled again and sauntered towards the stream of water they'd camped near.

He watched in dour pleasure as she knelt down and dipped a kerchief in the water and used it to wipe her face and hands.

She had a great ass, outlined now in the navy jounin uniform pants the Leaf shinobi favored. She looked over her shoulder and winked at him, grinning cheekily. She stood up and walked over to the wagon and crawled into the bed, disappearing from view.

He shook his head.

No time for romance.

He had a sister to confront.

Kankuro sighed heavily and stood up.

Neji, sitting across from him, looked up and frowned.

"She didn't know," he said angrily.

"Right," said Kankuro, unable to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

The pale-eyed Hyuuga clenched his fists on his knees.

"She wouldn't want to hurt him," he growled, "It's your brother who was at fault, here."

Kankuro sighed again.

There was no way he planned on getting into it with the Hyuuga. Besides, to be honest, he agreed with the guy.

"I got it," said Kankuro, "It's just…Gaara's…new to stuff like this."

Neji frowned more deeply.

"Girls…dating…all that crap," said Kankuro.

"Are you saying that Hinata –," growled Neji, standing up abruptly.

"I'm saying that she could be the biggest tramp or pure as the driven snow," said Kankuro, settling into a defensive stance, just to be on the safe side. "It doesn't matter. It's all new to Gaara. He's like a kid, you know?"

"Hinata is not a tramp!" said Neji, his Byakugan blood line limit engaged.

Kankuro sighed again.

"I didn't say she was. I don't think she is. In fact, I know she's the best thing that ever happened to my brother," he said, calmly.

Neji let out a brief huff of air and relaxed a little, a slightly mollified expression on his face.

"It's just new to him," said Kankuro.

Neji sat down again, a defeated look about him. He picked up a stick and poked at the fire.

"She's…she's not good at things like this, either," he said morosely. "She doesn't date. Your brother is the first guy since Naruto she's ever shown any interest in. I was worried about her. I've been afraid that she'd end up like our Aunt Hisoka."

Kankuro waited to see if Neji was going to reveal some terrible end to the aunt, but Neji stayed quiet.

A rustle of leaves told him that Temari was just behind him. He stayed still, wondering if she was listening.

"Naruto -," said Neji, his voice strangled, "Naruto was good to her when the rest of us weren't. He believed in her. My uncle, the clan council," he clenched his jaw, "We were brutal to her. Hell, I nearly killed her. And I would have if Gai-sensei hadn't stopped me." Neji's mouth twisted bitterly. "And she took it, too, every cruel thing we said to her, did to her, took it and never complained. Instead she worked hard and made herself stronger."

He looked up at Kankuro, but blindly, not focusing.

Kankuro stayed very still and he could hear the quick intake of breath behind him.

"She never once, not once, said anything to me that wasn't loving and…," Neji stopped, clearing his throat. He turned back to the fire and poked it viciously.

Temari pushed past Kankuro and walked over to sit opposite Neji, picking up her own stick and thrusting it into the coals. Kankuro slowly sat down next to her. Her body was rigid with energy. His heart started to pick up speed, matching her rhythm.

_Damn, things were getting tense._

"So what happened to Aunt Hisoka?" said Kankuro, not really interested in the woman's fate but as a desperate attempt to diffuse the tension.

Neji looked up, startled. "What?"

"You said you didn't want Hinata to end up like Aunt Hisoka. What happened to her?"

Hell, this was probably the worst thing he could have said, but he couldn't take all the agita goin' around.

The wagon shook a little and Hana climbed out, carrying her pack. She caught Kankuro's eye and smiled, giving him a little thumbs up sign.

He felt unbelievably heartened by the gesture.

"Aunt Hisoke," said Neji, slowly.

"Wasn't she the one with all those cats?" said Hana, strolling over and sitting down between Kankuro and Neji. She stretched her long legs toward the fire, settling the pack in her lap. "I remember her. She wouldn't leave her house. I had to come by every so often to make sure the cats were neutered and that she was taking care of them."

Kankuro looked at her quizzically.

"I'm a vet," she said, "Mostly with dogs, but I'll take care of cats, too."

"Oh, Kami," said Neji, "I forgot you came by."

"Yeah, I liked the old gal," said Hana, "she was a sweet lady. Always made me have a piece of cake and some tea with her."

Neji shuddered.

"God, that cake!" he said, "it was always covered with cat hair. And you had to eat every bit in front of her or she'd be so hurt."

Hana laughed, a rich warm chuckle.

"Yeah, it's a good thing I have a strong stomach," she said, cheerfully, "Did you ever meet my Uncle Kurou, Neji? Now, that guy was a real character. He liked to chew tobacco and carried this soup can around to spit in it. He was one dee-sgusting dude, I can tell you! He used to grab my Pa and tell him all about this tribe of little people who could manipulate thoughts that lived out behind his peach orchard."

"You're kidding!" said Kankuro.

"Nope," said Hana, grinning, "of course, we all thought he was totally nuts. Every year he'd come to the family compound for Otsukimii with a special wine he made from those peaches and talk about the little people and how they worked on his thoughts until he couldn't think straight. Well, of course, we never believed him. Until one night Pa was walkin' Uncle Kurou home after a night of too much peach wine, if you know what I mean." Hanna leaned in towards the fire and unconsciously the others mirrored her. "Well, just as Pa got to the orchard gate something poked him hard in the ankle.

" 'What the hell!' shouted Pa, almost dropping Uncle Kurou. He looked around to find what had poked him and there stood this little man just taller than Pa's knee with his leg drawn back about to kick him again.

" 'Hey!' said Pa, 'quit that!'

" 'Quit that! Quit that!' shouted the little man in a weird squeaky voice, 'What do you mean bringing Ojii-san home in this disgraceful condition! Take that!'

"And the little man kicked Pa again.

" 'Stop that!' said Pa, dropping Uncle Kurou in the road and chasing the little man into the orchard. Oh, that little man led Pa a merry chase, dodging through the trees and sneaking up and kicking him when he got the chance. Now, Pa was light on his feet and had the Inuzuka nose, too, but no matter how nimble he stepped or how deeply he sniffed he could not catch that little man.

"Instead, all he got were two legs full of bruises and tired to boot.

"Finally, Pa just gave up and limped back to pick up Uncle Kurou out of the road where he left him. He put Uncle Kurou to bed and high-tailed it back home.

"The next day, when we woke up, Pa was soaking his poor bruised legs in ice-water and warning us never to go near Uncle Kurou's peach orchard. And to this day we never have."

Hana leaned back on the log and drew one leg up, wrapping her arms around the knee. She stared thoughtfully into the fire.

"Funny thing, though," she said, slowly, "Every year after that on the very same morning, Pa would wake up with bruises on his shins after dreaming of chasing a little man through a peach orchard. So, I guess it goes to show that we all got relatives that give us trouble."

Kankuro snorted, smiling at her. She smiled back and winked.

"'Course Ma always said the peach wine had more to do with the mind manipulation than the little people and that Pa wouldn't have had so many bruises if he hadn't fallen down the hill into the orchard!"

She pulled a small bottle out of her pack and waggled it in the firelight.

"Anyone care for a nip of Uncle Kurou's special peach wine?"

The tension around the fire had dissipated and Temari leaned against him more relaxed. Neji was poking the fire more gently, a small pensive smile on his face.

Hana passed around little cups and poured them each a tot.

Kankuro took a sip and nearly choked on the potent brew.

She twinkled at him and tossed back her drink.

He stared at her, his breath caught in his throat.

_I could fall for this girl._

* * *

Temari stared into the fire, her eyes burning with smoke and tiredness and the aftermath of tears.

Following Gaara had been an instinctive reaction. He'd really made her work to catch up and once she had, he'd stared at her coldly.

"Why are you here?" he'd said, his voice hard and flat. His eyes had frightened her, empty and freezing.

"Gaara, I'm sure Hinata never meant -," she started.

"Don't you speak her name to me," he'd said, low and vicious. He'd turned away from her and started off towards Suna, pausing only to say harshly, "Go back. You disgrace your mission by being here."

She stood on the branch he'd just left staring after him in shock. Baki had landed lightly next to her.

"Go back, Temari-chan," he'd said, with gruff kindness, "He'll be alright."

"He was so happy," she'd whispered.

"He's hurt and embarrassed and you know how he gets when he thinks he's been tricked," said Baki.

Temari had shuddered, remembering all too well.

"Don't worry about him," her sensei had said, patting her shoulder with clumsy gentlness. "I'll take care of him."

Temari had turned to the older man and buried her face in his chest, grateful for his solid familiarity and the warmth of his arms that briefly embraced her.

Baki had patted her again, taking off from the branch with a burst of chakra, speeding to catch Gaara.

Temari had watched him go for a moment before turning and heading back to join the wagon team for the night.

She'd caught up with them two hours later, exhausted and heart sick.

Now she sat by the dying flames, too tired to get up and find a place to bed down.

"I wish Shika was here," she said, quietly.

"Hnh," said Neji, "I wouldn't think he'd want to be a part of this little drama."

"Exactly," said Temari, smiling a little, "he'd tell me to mind my own business and let Gaara grow up and act like a man."

Neji snorted softly.

"Yeah," he said, "and if Tenten were here, she'd really let me have it. She says I'm too protective."

"Well, you are," said Temari, looking at him sharply, "everyone says so. You can't let Hinata-san go anywhere without fussing over her like a -." She stopped at his pointed look. "Right. The pot calling the kettle black, I guess."

They sat in companionable silence staring at the dying embers.

"I just want him to have some happiness, you know?" she said, her voice husky. "I thought he would find that with her." She clenched her hands together.

"I hope they do," said Neji, quietly, he looked up, his face rueful, "Honestly, I want to protect her forever and make sure she never has a moment's sadness, but I've never been any good at that. I'm not sure your brother is the right guy for her, anyway. Too moody."

Temari snorted softly.

"Yeah, I get it. Pot and kettle. Anyway, if I know Hinata, she's worrying her heart out over your brother, hoping that he's okay. She doesn't worry about herself. If anyone can make things right, I think she can," he said.

Temari shook her head.

"He's not a very trusting person," she said. _Understatement of the century. _"He thinks she tricked him. He's not the kind to forgive and forget."

Neji frowned. "But she didn't trick him," he said, "You know that."

"Yeah, I know that, you know that, we all know that," sighed Temari, "Gaara probably knows that, too. He's just..."

"Will he listen to me?" asked Neji, his frown deepening.

Temari stood up and brushed the back of her pants off. She kicked the dirt onto the fire to dampen it, Neji standing up to help her.

"I don't know," she said, once the fire was out. She looked across the fading smoke and smiled sadly. "I hope so."

Neji nodded.

"Good night," he headed off to the stream to clean off before taking the first watch.

Temari looked up at the night sky, hugging herself tightly.

Silver clouds moved slowly across the face of the moon and the stars trembled.

_Oh, Shika-kun, I miss you._

* * *

Hana studied the broad back of the man in front of her speculatively.

Okay, so the trip wasn't turning out to be the blast she'd hoped for.

Who knew someone like the cool Kazekage could turn into such a raging hormonal teenager…

Now, that was a kick in the head, wasn't it?

When Hinata and Gaara had strolled up to them, smelling of lust and love, Hana had wanted to give a cheer. Finally, Kiba's shy teammate was stepping into the adult arena, shaking off her obsession with Naruto. Hana liked the crazy blonde, but, damn, he was so clueless.

And, true to form, he'd bungled everything, blurting out something that was old news to everyone but Hinata's new love interest.

What a moron.

And what a moron the other kid was, too. Racing off like that, without giving Hinata a chance to explain.

Anyone could see she was crazy about Gaara, even if they didn't have the Inuzuka nose to confirm it by scent.

The whole scene reminded her of the time Kiba had found out that one of his dates was also sleepin' with that chuunin. Man, he'd gone around like a pup with a sore paw for weeks. Hang-dog didn't even begin to describe him. He made everyone miserable.

Just as miserable as the man standing up now from the stream bed.

Still, you had to like a guy who cared so much about family that he'd refrain from flirting.

So, guess it was up to her to make the moves. Not that she minded. She already knew that he was the type of guy that she liked, tall, big, and quick on his feet. Added to that, he had a smart-mouth and a wicked sense of humor.

And he was good to his sister.

That alone was worth the price of admission, in Hana's book.

He turned and looked at her warily.

His face was damp and glistened in the moonlight, wet points of hair spiking around his head. His shirt was open and Hana ran her eyes over his well-formed chest appreciatively. A light sprinkling of hair formed a triangle between his flat nipples weaving a dark narrow line down between his ribs to his flat stomach.

She licked her lips slightly, enjoying the widening of his eyes. He pulled his shirt closed almost defensively, a maidenly gesture that made her grin broadly.

"Uh," he said, obviously flustered, "I, uh, I liked your story."

He stepped towards her carefully, keeping her at arm's length.

Did he think she was going to bite him?

Probably.

Smart boy. Since she did plan on biting him. And so much more.

She sighed. Those plans would have to be put aside for later.

"Thanks," she said, falling into step with him. They headed toward the wagon. "It was one of our favorites when we were kids. Pa was a great story teller."

"Ah," said Kankuro.

"What about your dad? Did he tell you guys stories?" Hanna froze at the sudden shift in scent coming from the man at her side. Hatred, fear, disgust. She frowned, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked -."

"My father," said Kankuro, his voice low and strangled with emotion, "was the coldest, most heartless bastard in the world. He murdered my mother and tortured my baby brother. He was vicious, insane. More of a monster than Gaara was. Hell, he made Gaara into a monster, and then tried to kill him off. I hate him more than anything on earth."

Hana stood very still, unsure of what to do or say. Kankuro's body trembled with passion, his hands clenched at his sides, his face a rictus of suffering that was painful to see. Her hackles rose and her skin prickled in response.

Danger, terrible danger.

All her vet skills took over and she allowed a feeling of calm serenity flood her, flowing in soothing waves of chakra.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice warm and low. She waited until she could see him visibly relax, maintaining the flow of chakra to him as she stepped nearer. She rested both hands on his arms, a light easily breakable hold, that would tell him he was not being threatened, not being harmed in any way. He relaxed more, bringing his own large hands to her hips.

She stepped into the circle of his arms and slipped her hands around to his back pulling him into her and surrounding him with healing chakra.

He was not the first abandoned and abused mutt she'd comforted.

He rested his head on her shoulder, holding her tightly.

She rubbed his back in slow, wide circles.

His kiss, when it came, was tentative, a blind seeking of reassurance, that she returned gladly.

"I thought things would go a little different tonight," he said, gruffly.

She smiled. Her thoughts had gone along a different line, too.

"But I can't…tonight…," he said, his body tensing.

She hugged him tighter.

"You know why I kept dancing with you?" she said, kindly, smiling up at the night sky over his shoulder. "I could have easily gotten away." She knew he was listening, and rubbed his back more deeply. "I wanted to see what you would do for your family."

He pulled back a little, looking down at her, puzzlement on his handsome face.

She grinned cheekily.

"I'm a sucker for a guy who loves his family," she said. She pushed her body up against his and kissed him again, nipping his bottom lip gently. His arms tightened and he looked down at her with brightening eyes.

She pushed away and sauntered off to join Temari in the back of the wagon, pausing to glance at him over her shoulder, "So, rain check, right?"

He nodded slowly, a bemused expression on his face.

_Oh, I could fall for this guy._

* * *

Baki kept Gaara's slim, speeding figure in sight without crowding him. He'd sent one ANBU ahead and the other behind to keep watch. Nothing left to do now but let the boy think things over.

Well, wasn't this an interesting development?

It was a rare thing to see Gaara act like the jealous teenager.

Nothing he wanted to see again, please, Kami.

Baki had often worried what would happen if Gaara's iron control of his emotions slipped, now that Shukaku had been extracted. He'd set up opportunities, like the morning training, for the boy to begin to express himself in a more normal way. He'd watched Gaara's growing relationship with his siblings with satisfaction and had been pleased to see the efforts Gaara had made to develop a rapport with his office staff.

Still, he'd been concerned that, if something ever happened to rattle the boy's rigid self-command, things could go very badly indeed.

Standing at the gate waiting for the Kazekage to arrive, Baki had felt a rare sense of peace. Next to him stood a beautiful woman who seemed to enjoy his company and swinging on his hand was a child who was not afraid of him.

When Gaara walked up with Hinata, happiness spilling off him in waves, Baki had been shaken at the burst of joy he'd felt.

At last, his boy would be happy.

He'd turned to Kurenai and shared a look of quiet pleasure with her.

Of course, that was before the blonde jinchurikii had bounced in to spoil everything.

He probably should have anticipated that jealousy would be the spur that broke Gaara's emotional barriers. Still, he'd been shocked at the speed at which Gaara took off, leaving the little Hyuuga girl standing alone.

Baki had turned to Kurenai speechless. He'd wanted to say something to her, explain. She'd smiled wryly, and brushed her hand against his.

"Go after him," she'd said, and hurried towards Hinata.

He'd taken one moment to watch as the stunned girl fought her tears staring after Gaara's fleeing form.

The look of utter devastation on her face cut him to the quick and he felt suddenly angry at his student.

Anger and worry rode with him all the long way back to Suna.

And a longing to be back in Konoha, eating chocolate ice-cream.

* * *

_**A/N: Well, I hoped you like this. Yes, Gaara and Hinata are not the major players in this chapter, but they are central to it. I hope this answers some of the questions I've gotten by my amazing reviewers. You really inspire me, you know…Also, I would like to remind you that this story takes place about four or five years after the time skip.**_

_**Note: Otsukimii or Tsukimii is a harvest festival thanking the Kami for the good year. While peach wine is not mentioned as a part of the festival, sake is. **_

_**Also, a big nod to ForsakenKalika who is writing a Gaara/Sakura fic called 'Low'. She has included yours truly as a walk-on character in the sixth chapter of that story! I'm so flattered and amazed, because she really did a great job – not just on me, but the whole story is very good. Check it out! And review it, please.**_

_**Oh, yes. Review this, too. B.F. Skinner theorized that animals respond better to positive and negative reinforcement, so I hope you will take the time to further test his theories and write your thoughts. Although, I do prefer the positive. I read and respond to all of your reviews. Sometimes at length!**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N: I do not own Naruto.**_

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Chapter Thirteen: Resolutions

It had taken three weeks to complete the investigation of the sabotage of the aquifer, round up the perpetrators and bring them to swift justice. It had not come as a real surprise that one of the daimyos from the Land of Rivers had been responsible. He'd wanted to boost his own revenues by coming in and saving the day. Instead, his family had been shamed, his lands confiscated and his life ended by a public execution.

During those long three weeks, Gaara had immersed himself in the business, making sure his presence was known in all aspects of the case. He stalked around driving his staff and investigators on relentlessly, driving himself with no less fury.

He knew he was behaving like an ass.

He didn't need anyone to tell him so.

He told himself so, in bitter words.

_Unworthy._

_Untouchable._

_Unloved._

At first, fleeing through the budding trees of Konoha, he'd felt as though the branches had been shredding pieces of him, raking his heart with cruel fingers.

He could hear Naruto's voice, loud and grating, "Hinata had a monster crush on me."

The words repeated endlessly, ringing in his head.

And laughter, Hinata and Shikamaru, Naruto and Baki, Temari and Kankuro, Jiro and the ANBU, all the people of Konoha, laughing endlessly. All the people who knew that Hinata had loved Naruto first, always first.

Laughing at him, who thought a girl could love him.

_Unlovable._

_Unloved._

_Monster._

He flung himself along the shadowy arch of trees, his heart twisted in an agony of pain and hatred. Hatred for her, hatred for Naruto, hatred for himself.

Most of all, for himself.

A small, sane part of him whispered, _Trust her,_ but he could not listen, refused to believe.

When he reached Suna, he forced himself to function, moving restlessly through the days and nights, ignoring his own turmoil and focusing ruthlessly on his work.

A weary week later, he found himself in better control of his emotions, falling back into the persona he'd thought he'd left behind. Cold. Aloof. Unapproachable.

He could not think of her without his grip on his fury and raving jealousy slipping, so he worked diligently on not thinking about her.

He avoided Baki and Kankuro whenever possible, which was difficult since they both had crucial duties during the investigation and in other Suna business. He kept all conversations strictly professional, seeing them only when others were present. He knew he hurt them, and he writhed inside in shame and guilt.

Baki had managed to catch him alone once and had shared his thoughts with devastating calm.

They were in Gaara's office. Jiro had stepped out and Baki had slipped in.

Gaara had seriously thought about using his sand to fling the man out the window, but couldn't bring himself to do it.

Baki had stood before him, like the soldier he was, straight and true, looking sternly down at his student.

"I will only say this once," he'd said, with an icy calm, "You are a man, now, the Kazekage and not my student. You make your own choices and I respect them."

Gaara had stared back, mimicking the cool gaze of the older man, but inside, he'd been shrinking from his sensei's words. He'd folded his arms over his chest, not to intimidate, but to hide the shaking of his hands. He dreaded hearing what Baki had to say.

"I have watched you grow as a man, achieving more than anyone expected. You have become someone I am proud to have as a student and as a leader," said Baki, lifting his chin, "But when I saw you leave that poor girl standing alone I was ashamed of you. Ashamed that you would dishonor anyone so."

Gaara's gourd had popped open, and sand particles flew into the air.

"You may kill me for speaking my mind," said Baki, sternly, "You have that right. But you will never stop me from saying to you what needs to be said. I am ashamed of you."

Baki had bowed curtly, turned sharply and marched from the room. True to his word, he had never mentioned the matter again, but Gaara still heard him.

_I am ashamed of you._

Kankuro was another matter.

He was not so easy to avoid, nor was he above slipping comments into public situations that were better left unsaid.

During a roundtable discussion of the next steps to take to repair the aquifer, Kankuro had insisted on referring to him as 'the Most Grand High Pooh-bah'. The other council members had looked at the brothers in puzzlement, refraining politely from asking for clarification on their obvious animosity. Gaara had banned Kankuro from all meetings after that.

Two weeks after their return, Kankuro had finally caught him alone by hiding on the roof of the Kazekage office tower one night.

"You know, something, asshole," he'd said, glaring aggressively at his brother, "you are seriously fucked up if you think this is gonna work for you."

Gaara had slid one cold glance and him and then looked away, pretending to gaze at the view of the sleeping village.

"That girl loves you, you shithead, and you love her right back," said Kankuro, his voice ragged, "I can't believe you'd let something that idiot Naruto said make you act like this! What the hell is your problem, hunh?"

Gaara had turned on him furiously, his control snapping, sand swirling around him in vicious tails, whipping the air dangerously.

"Don't you talk about her," he'd said, taking a menacing step towards his brother, "You heard him. He said she loved him. Not me. Him. It was all a joke. A fucking joke. At my expense."

"Kami, you are an idiot," said Kankuro, not backing down an inch, "He said a crush. She had a school girl crush on a cute guy who was nice to her. If you'd even listened to anything Hyuuga Neji told you, you would know that. Hell, we all knew that."

"You knew," said Gaara, his voice choking, "you knew about it."

"Did you fucking hear me, you arrogant prick?" shouted Kankuro, "Everyone knew she had a crush on the fathead. For years. A. School. Girl. Crush. That died. A long time ago. Get it through your thick head. She loves you, shit for brains, not Naruto. I didn't see her dancing with Naruto the other night. Or go out into the garden with Naruto the other night. Or come to the gate to see Naruto off the next day. Crap, if a girl ever looked at me like that -."

Kankuro stopped, gasping for air, his hands clenching and unclenching.

They stood staring at each other for moments.

"You better make this right, Gaara," Kankuro had said quietly, "or you will never forgive yourself."

He'd turned to go, stopping only to say, "If you need me, call. Otherwise, I can't be around you."

He'd left without a backward glance.

At first, his absence had been a relief.

But that didn't last for long.

Once the investigation finished Gaara had little to distract him from his torturous thoughts.

His relationship with Jiro slipped back and it filled him with a shamed sadness to see the frightened way the little fellow jumped to his curt commands.

His former insomnia reasserted itself.

He was used to it, since he had rarely slept for most of his life. He fell into the habit of wandering the streets of Suna, searching for peace from his relentless thoughts, but once he started thinking about Hinata, he couldn't stop.

He used to wonder grimly if he would ever recover from his childhood. Now he wondered if he would ever recover from his own stupidity.

He missed her.

He had never in his life thought that he would feel this way about a person. She was permanently lodged in his mind, a constant shining presence that confused and terrified him.

He tasted her yet, her mouth, her skin, her eager lips. He could still feel the velvety weight of her breast in his hand, the warmth of her body pressed against his. He could see her wide, lovely eyes open to him, warm and welcoming. Hear her soft voice asking him to kiss her.

_Did she ask HIM to kiss her like that?_

He would choke on his own bile, gagging on bitterness and grief.

Three weeks and four days after returning to Suna, he nearly killed a young couple kissing in a dark alley.

They were too engrossed in each other to notice their marginal escape from death.

The woman was leaning against the rough sandstone wall, her head thrown back and her mouth open in a sigh of pleasure, while the man pressed his lips down her throat. Her naked shoulders glowed in the moonlight over his head as slender fingers of one hand were threaded through his hair, urging him on as she whimpered. The man held her other hand over her head, pressed against the wall while he tugged her knee up to his hip, suckling her breast eagerly.

Gaara spun around and flashed away, transporting himself to the balcony outside his room.

He landed quietly, his heart pounding.

_Oh, Kami, this has to stop. _

He closed his eyes and could see the couple still, but instead of the nameless man and woman, he saw Hinata pressed against the stone and Naruto's hair entwined in her fingers.

He slammed into the shower, cracking several tiles, punishing himself under the harsh stream of water. He crouched under the stinging water until it grew too cold to bear.

_This has to stop before I kill someone._

Hollow-eyed and naked he stepped out of the shower and staggered over to his bed, crawling under the sheets and huddled shivering, calling himself all kinds of name for fool.

_What do I do? What do I do?_

He yanked the pillow into his chest, biting the fabric, grimacing as ragged sobs struggled through his teeth.

_Oh, Hinata, Hinata, what do I do?_

He fell into a fitful doze and dreamt horribly that it was she he had executed. Her lovely neck stretched on the block, his hand holding the blade, trying to stop its heavy fall, screaming to her to run, run, run!

He woke in a panic, his heart pounding in his chest, a harsh cry torn from his throat.

_Please make it stop._

As he had every night since it arrived, he opened the drawer of the small dresser next to the bed and pulled out the scroll that had been shoved into it more than two weeks before, holding it to his breast, a talisman against evil. Against himself, the most evil thing he knew.

Her clear hand had written his name on the outside. He had been too afraid to open it.

If he opened it and saw the truth, her recriminations, her revulsion -

_Monster._

He was afraid.

But he couldn't bear it any longer. He had to know now that he had no hope, that it was ended.

He dragged himself from the bed clutching the scroll and shuffled to the balcony, feeling old and defeated, sliding down to sit on the cold stone with the moon as his lantern.

He popped open the seal and read her letter for the first time.

_Dear Gaara-kun,_

_I hope you read this and let me explain. Naruto was right. I had a crush on him. For years I thought I loved him. I dreamed that one day he would return my love. But he never did. I was not the right person for him, you see._

_When I was little, I would watch him out of the window at school. I was told to stay away from him, but no one would tell me why. I couldn't understand why. All the children stayed away from him, or made fun of him, and yet he would sit on the playground and watch us. I wondered what was wrong with him. He didn't look evil or scary. He was dirty and lonely and I wondered what terrible thing such a little boy could have done that everyone shunned him._

_My father was infuriated with the Hokage when he learned that Naruto would be attending school and be in the same class with me. This was the first time that I heard Naruto called, 'Demon Child'. It frightened me. He looked like a little boy, as small as me. Was he really a demon? What would he do? Could he hurt me? Or kill me? I watched him more carefully, waiting in fear to see if he became a demon. But he never did. Instead, he was cheerful and brash, and often, very funny. He never seemed bothered that the other children wouldn't play with him, although I knew he was. I still watched him, whenever he wasn't looking and would sometimes catch his sadness._

_I understood a little of what he felt, I think, although I could never compare my petty problems to those he had to face. I was often lonely, too. My mother had died and I knew that I was not the child my father wanted. I was not strong or clever. No matter how hard I trained, I knew that I would never be worthy of the Hyuuga name or of my father's pride. _

_When I became a genin, I was astonished. I never thought that I would be accepted into a team. My sensei helped me become stronger and I began to think that I might be a good shinobi, after all. I watched Naruto grow, too, overcome his loneliness and succeed and I thought, if I could be like him, I might actually make my family proud. I began to dream that Naruto would see me becoming strong, overcome my weaknesses and frailty._

_And he did see me, in a way. He believed in me, when no one else did. You were there at the Chuunin preliminaries. You know that my cousin fought me, bested me in every way, yet it was Naruto who cheered me on, who gave me the faith in myself to be strong._

_It is a debt I can never repay._

_I loved him then. I love him still. He is one of my dearest friends. But he never loved me._

_I grew to accept that, years ago. My childhood crush became a deep friendship that I will never regret. He has never stopped believing in me. Because of him, Neji and I have become a family; I have become a stronger shinobi. My clan has rejected me as heir, but I have accepted their decision. I know I am a strong person, in my own way._

_Now, I have come to know you. I hope it does not hurt you, but many of the things I love about Naruto, I love about you, too. You are strong and fearless. You believe in yourself. You have overcome many obstacles to achieve great success. There is much to admire in you, just as there is in Naruto._

_But what I feel for you is very different from the childhood crush I had so long ago. When I am with you, I am joyful, complete, my whole self. You are like air to me, like food, like water._

_You see me in a way no one else does, as a woman. You make me feel wanted, even needed. I don't feel unworthy or shy or frail, but strong and grand._

_Oh, it sounds foolish. I haven't known you for very long, not really. But I already know that you are more important to me than anything else in the world. I have told you more about myself than I have ever told anyone. I have shared more of myself with you than I have with anyone. _

_Even now, I hesitate to send this. I am afraid, still afraid, that you will see me as the shy, frail, weak Hinata that everyone else sees. I am afraid, very afraid, that you will not see the woman I have tried to show you. But I made a promise with my first letter, that I would send you my thoughts, no matter how foolish._

_Please write to me soon. _

_I love you._

_Your friend, Hinata_

Gaara slumped on the balcony, tears streaming down his face.

Her graciousness shamed him. He had let this letter sit in a drawer unopened until he overcame his cowardice to read it.

How much more brave was she to write it?

She was strong, so much stronger, than she knew.

Her humility pressed on him, her simple goodness, her love. He felt her warmth reach out to him, soothing his heart with her quiet sweetness.

He thought of her in her garden, a place filled with broken discarded things brought together and made whole, their chipped and frayed and ragged edges fitted together to become something better and more beautiful.

He sat on the cold stone rereading her letter until the moon was replaced by the first rays of the sun.

_What have I done?_

He slept finally for a few blessed hours, curled on the bed with the letter under his hand, waking up with a start and dressing quickly.

He sent Jiro scurrying for Baki and Kankuro and waited for them, his heart pounding, clutching Hinata's letter tightly in his pocket.

When they came and stood quiet and solemn, he was unable to speak for a moment. They both looked down at the floor, their sadness piercing him.

"I," he started, clearing his throat nervously, "I've been a fool. I need your help. I don't know what to do."

Kankuro looked up sharply, his face wild with hope.

"How do I fix this?" Gaara said.

Two hours later the three men were speeding for Konoha, only a little behind the messenger bird announcing their imminent arrival, each thinking the same thing:

_Kami, please…_

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_**A/N: It's a short chapter, I know, but I think it says all that it needs to.**_

_**I hope you agree. Please let me know your thoughts.**_

_**M**_


	14. Chapter 14

_**A/N: I do not own Naruto.**_

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Chapter 14: Life is Messy

Hinata pressed a cold hand against her throbbing eyebrow, hoping that the pressure would subdue the sickening headache. She hadn't been sleeping well for a couple of days, now. A couple of weeks, really. More than a couple.

Ever since the betrothal party.

Time seemed to be measured like that. Before the party and after the party.

Before the party, she'd felt like her usual self, generally cheerful in a quiet way. Small things pleased her; working at the kindergarten, meeting Naruto and Sakura at Ichiraku for ramen, training with Neji and Hanabi, playing with Kurenai and Daichi in the park, breakfast with her father, receiving a letter, sitting in her garden. She'd been content with small things, glad for them.

After the party, things seemed far from small, too large to think of at one time, to cope with, her mind shied away from them until they boiled up when she tried to sleep; dancing with Gaara, kissing Gaara, showing Gaara her garden, walking with Gaara, watching Gaara leave. Even glancing at these memories brought on a sick feeling, hot and cold, that stuttered her heart and stopped her in her tracks.

As she'd watched him disappear in the shadow of the woods outside the gate, she'd prayed that he would look back, that he would stop and return and he would somehow give her a chance to explain…answer whatever questions he had. She believed with all her heart, that if she could just tell him how she felt about Naruto, how she felt about him, answer all his questions sincerely, he would understand and be comforted. She held on to that belief even after the Suna party had left and Naruto pulled her away.

Sitting in Kurenai's apartment that day, she dimly remembered sipping the cups of sweetened tea Kurenai and Daichi had kept handing her. She vaguely recalled that Sakura had spoken to her, that Naruto had crouched at her feet rubbing her hands, that Ino had sat next to her hugging her. She hoped that she had been polite, but she really hadn't been paying attention.

Instead, she had been feverishly thinking of what she would say to him, what she would tell him when he returned.

She remembered standing up suddenly, bowing politely to them all and apologizing for causing them to worry about her. She'd stepped carefully out of the heavy circle of their concern and walked home to her garden, waiting for him to join her.

It had taken a week after the party for her to work up the courage to write out what she wanted to say to Gaara.

The week had passed in a fog. She had gotten up every day and gone to work. Returned every day to sit in her garden, ink stone and brush drying after countless attempts to start the letter.

Once she'd started, though, the words had flowed easily, her heart pouring out in ink on the page, punctuated by tears. The letter finished, she'd sealed it and run to the Hokage tower to include it in the mail pouch going out to Suna the next morning, fighting the whole way not to turn back.

She'd made a promise not to strike out what she wrote to him, and she meant it, in this letter more than ever.

Once the letter was gone, with no hope of retrieving it, she'd felt better, lighter, more at peace.

The fog surrounding her lifted to a light haziness, bringing into focus the faces of her family and friends.

She was sad that they looked so worried. She'd made a point of going around to everyone that showed an interest in her to apologize and reassure. She was surprised at how many people that entailed.

During the second week after the party, she was able to participate more in activities around her. Keiko's pregnancy was taking a toll on the pretty teacher and she'd had to take leave sooner than expected. Hinata threw herself into her work at the Kindergarten, glad for the distraction. She began to train again with Hanabi and Neji, glad that they had become less wary around her. She'd even met Naruto and Sakura once for ramen, although she'd been very uncomfortable with the frequency Naruto felt compelled to pat her on the head or shoulder. She was secretly grateful when Sakura had knocked him off his stool, growling at him to 'quit it or find someplace else to sleep tonight'. She'd felt rather sorry for her friend, although she had gotten weary of his clumsy remorse.

All in all, she'd felt a slight warming of hope that Gaara would get her letter and would be able to read in her awkward words how much she cared for him, wanted him to return. Loved him.

Loved his great intelligence and the way he'd overcome obstacles to become a highly respected leader. Loved the way he cared for his brother and sister and his sensei and the people of his village. Loved his wry wit and the way he shared his life with her in his letters. Loved his slim, straight form and the fall of auburn hair over his pale forehead and his clear aqua eyes. Loved the way his hands and mouth and body made her feel that night on the bridge. Loved that he'd let her kiss him, accepted her, held her, pressed her against him.

It was at the end of the second week after the party, though, that the careful control she was able to exert over her days slipped and her nights were filled with dark dreams filled with Gaara.

Not the gentle Gaara of his letters, or the Gaara who had held her in his arms in her garden, but a blood-stained warrior prince, eyes blazing in anger and dark desire, punishing her for her weaknesses, ridiculing her paltry words, crushing her with scorn. Ravishing her body and soul. She would wake, horrified, her heart pounding, her body aching with a pulsing need that terrified her. She would stumble to the bathroom and stare at the stranger in her mirror, wild hair and wilder eyes, pressing her hands against her traitorous mouth, longing to be ravished again.

It was easiest to stop sleeping.

Oh, she dozed, hunched and uncomfortable on her lounge chair, caffeine racing through her veins to keep her from falling too deeply asleep. She found a stash of Kiba's energy capsules and popped them frequently.

About three weeks after the party, the headaches started and continued, a nasty bass-line that accompanied her at all times, adding a steady dull and relentless rhythm to her days.

Get up at dawn. One half-hour of katas. Meet with Kiba and Shino for an hour of training. Quick shower and breakfast and off to Kindergarten. Be a good teacher all day. Clean up the room and return home for a simple meal and then to bed. Toss and turn during the night. Get up at dawn and start again.

Each weekend the routine would vary with several hours of training with Hanabi and sometimes Neji.

She turned every gesture or question of concern away with a polite smile and a nod of the head or a bow.

She trained hard and she worked hard. And she slept like shit.

And now, here she was, five weeks after the party, standing in the teacher's lounge bathroom, hoping to press her headache down enough to make it through the rest of the day.

_This has to stop. _

All her stupid stories about spiders and how boring her life was. All the petty whining about Naruto. Her declaration of love. She had allowed herself to believe in a fairytale, one in which the handsome prince kisses the little goose girl and everyone lives happily ever after. She knew life was not a fairytale and that happily ever after was not the way stories ended.

Life wasn't a story. Life was messy, a place where even a nice village like Konoha could abandon a child and treat him like a monster, where people got killed in horrible ways, where families turned on each other sealing their own children into slavery. Where the story of a girl's childhood crush could turn a loving man into a cold-eyed stranger.

She didn't blame Gaara for turning away. She knew enough about his terrible childhood to guess that he was as new as she was to falling in love. She'd seen the look on his face. He'd been shocked and humiliated by Naruto's feckless words. She'd been hurt, yes, that he hadn't let her explain, but she understood. It would be foolish of her to expect that her simple letters and the moments they'd shared on the bridge would be strong enough to overcome whatever it was he was feeling.

_This will stop._

Yeah, her heart ached, but she would survive it. She had before. She would again.

She glared at herself fiercely in the mirror. It was time to forget about letter writing and desert flowers and aqua eyes and sweet kisses and concentrate on doing her best.

_You will not give up!_

The morning had been especially crazy.

The kids had been excited about the assembly they were going to attend. It was not often that they were invited to an exhibition by the older classes. It had been impossible to get them to focus on anything else. Hinata gave up her lesson plan and set them to drawing pictures of chakra nature. The kids had loved the idea and set to their assignment eagerly.

She'd been content to watch them, as they scribbled swirls of color for wind, or zigzags of yellow and orange for lightning, fountains of blue for water and red for fire and brown for earth. The children had chattered non-stop about what they were doing, describing each stroke of the crayon earnestly.

The sound level had gotten quite high, stirring up her headache uncomfortably.

She'd hurried to the bathroom, gagging in pain.

She took some over-the-counter pain-killers now, washing them down with water from the tap. She stared at herself, her face pale in the wavering glass, her eyes shadowed.

_No more._

She had opened herself up to a man and been rejected. It hurt. Terribly. But she was done with it all. She was tired of being the emotional wreck that everyone had to protect.

_You. Will. Not. Give. Up._

Hinata splashed water on her face and patted it off with a paper towel. She pushed off from the sink and ran her fingers through her hair, breathing deeply.

Now, stop behaving like a whiny weakling and start living your life.

She threw back her shoulders, pasted a smile on her face and stepped out of the bathroom to hurry back to the classroom.

Tetsuyo, one of the two upper-school students helpers assigned to her class during the assembly, already had the kids lined up by the door in pairs, holding hands, dancing on their toes with excitement. He smiled back at Hinata with a slightly puzzled expression on his face.

Hinata toned the brightness of her smile down a bit and let him lead the class out. She followed, monitoring the bobbing row of heads as the children walked into the assembly hall. They were being exceptionally well-behaved, filing into their places at the front of the spectator area and sitting cross-legged on the floor. She nodded at them in approval, her smile warming as several kids grinned back at her. The headache subsided a little and she found herself looking forward to the exhibition.

The children whispered excitedly, craning their necks to look around the enormous room.

"Ah, Hinata-san," said Umino Iruka, "You certainly are doing a fine job with the Kindergarten class. I spoke with Keiko-san the other day and she said what a relief it is to her to know the children will be in such capable hands."

"Th-thank you, Iruka-sensei," said Hinata, feeling a blush stain her cheeks, "I can't tell you how much that means to me." She could feel tears prickle in her eyes.

No, she was not going to let a few kind words break her down.

She lifted her chin and straitened her spine.

Iruku frowned, staring at her sharply.

"Hinata-san," he started.

"Oh, l-look," said Hinata, pointing to the front of the room, "the exhibition is about to start." She flapped a hand at the man and turned hastily to join her class.

Lee and Gai-sensei stood at one side of the room in all their green spandex glory. They both grinned blindingly at Hinata, giving her a big thumbs up. Hinata nodded her head to them and smiled.

Daichi called out to her from the first grade.

"Hina-chan-sensei!" he waved wildly to her, a grin splitting his face.

She waved back and smiled as he boasted to his class that 'Hina-chan-sensei was his bestest friend.'

She was a lucky girl. She had friends and family who cared about her. She had a great job.

She was a jounin level kunoichi who was an expert in the Gentle Fist.

_You will survive._

A feeling of relief warmed her and she relaxed a little.

She looked across the room and noticed Temari standing at the edge of the performance area. The Sand princess stood aggressively with her legs apart and her arms folded across her chest. Her iron fan was slung across her back and she looked ready to take on a team of rogue-ninjas.

And she was glaring at Hinata.

Hinata's headache roared back to life.

* * *

After the assembly the kids had been difficult to settle down. They were excited by the transformation and water jutsus, kunai target exhibitions and kendo matches they had seen. They were particularly impressed with Maito Gai and Rock Lee's enthusiastic sparring.

"I'm going to be just like Rock Lee!" shouted Atsushi, leaping into the air and crashing into little Chiharu. The two fell to the floor, knocking over the tray of seedlings the children had planted the week before. Dirt and roots sprayed out over the room.

"You killed my plant!" screamed Ryoko. She threw herself onto Atsushi, swinging her fists.

"I got dirt in my hair!" howled Yumiko, standing in the center of the room whipping her head around and scattering dirt clods.

Before Hinata could stop them the other kids joined in, either throwing themselves on the growing pile of screaming children or standing with Yumiko and wailing.

For one tiny moment, Hinata considered turning around and walking quietly out of the school. Anyone would understand, wouldn't they? Surely there was a rogue-nin somewhere who had started out as a Kindergarten teacher?

The moment passed and she took a deep breath. Keiko and Iruku believed in her. She couldn't let them down, even if her head was pounding so hard she felt nauseous again.

"That is enough!" she said loudly, her hands on her hips.

All activity in the room ceased as if a switch had been pulled.

The children turned and stared at their usually gentle teacher, their mouths agape.

"I am ashamed of you all!" said Hinata, sadly, "This is not what I expect from you!"

She looked sternly around the room, staring at each child.

"Now, help each other up and let's get this room back into order," she said, more gently. She walked over to the pile of children and pulled them apart.

"Let me tell you about Maito Gai and Rock Lee," she continued, checking each child out for injuries. Fortunately, except for a few bruises and tears, everyone seemed to be okay, "They would not want to see team mates fighting against each other like this."

"B-but, Hinata-sensei," said Atsushi, frowning, "we aren't team-mates."

"Oh, yes you are!" said Hinata, grabbing a broom and sweeping up the scattered dirt, "Everyone in this class is part of a t-team. Team-mates help each other, protect each other. Maito Gai and Rock Lee taught me that. And do you know what else they taught me?"

"What?" said Ryuko, holding the dustpan for Hinata.

"They taught me that anything can be achieved by hard work and a positive attitude." Hinata dumped the dustpan's contents into the trash and patted Ryuko on the back.

"Now, let me tell you what we're going to do," she sat down on the reading corner rug and motioned for the children to join her. "I want each of you to take turns and tell me something you learned from the assembly today. Yumiko, you start."

Hard work and a positive attitude. Time for her to remind herself.

_You will survive._

* * *

All the children were gone. The toys were put away. The books returned to their shelves. A bowl of dried pole beans were soaking to begin the germination process to replace the seedlings lost today. The room was finally quiet.

And Hinata still had her headache.

It had settled into a dull pounding right behind her left eye.

Hinata leaned her elbows on the teacher's desk and buried her face in her hands.

She needed to get some help with the headaches. Maybe she should go to Sakura. Sakura would understand.

She registered the chakra signature before the door opened.

With a sigh she stood up and turned to face her visitor.

There was no way that she was going to be sitting down when Temari entered the room.

"Hinata," said Temari, frowning. She strode into the class and looked around disdainfully.

Hinata felt a prickle of irritation. How dare Temari look down on her classroom? So what if she was teaching little kids? They would grow into big kids one day, and many of them would be very talented shinobi.

"Can I help you, Temari-san?" said Hinata, quietly.

Temari studied her for a moment. She walked over to Hinata and perched on the desk.

"So what's going on between you and my brother?" she said, bluntly.

"W-what?" said Hinata, pressing her hands against the desk.

"Have you heard from him?" Temari traced a wood grain along the top of the desk with a finger, lingering on a knot hole. "He hasn't written to me. I thought maybe," said Temari, diffidently, looking down at the desk, "I thought maybe he'd written to you."

"Oh," said Hinata, grief choking her for a moment. She leaned over the desk, forcing herself to breathe, "No, Temari-san, he hasn't written to me." She made herself look up and smile at the older girl.

Temari's look of pity cut her to the quick.

"I'm sorry, Hinata," said Temari softly, "I thought he'd -."

"Please," said Hinata, mustering whatever shreds of dignity she had left, "don't."

Temari opened her mouth again then closed it. She stood up slowly, "Well, I guess that's that, then."

She walked briskly towards the door.

"If you want to know what I think," she said, pausing at the door, "I think my little brother's a big fool. I hope you get a letter soon, Hinata."

Hinata sat in the chair for awhile before she got up to leave. She moved gingerly, as if sudden movements might shake something loose.

It took all her training in suppressing her feelings to turn off the lights, close the door and head out into the dusk before the tears started.

She slipped into the Hyuuga manor, hoping to grab something to eat and go to bed without meeting any family members, pausing at the front door to remove her shoes.

The door to her father's study opened and she was blinded for a moment by the light hitting her sensitive eyes.

_Damn._

She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, concentrating on her new mantra.

_You will survive._

Hinata looked up, composure in place, one foot up behind her with her shoe half off. Her mouth dropped open in shock, staring at Gaara as he stood with her father.

_This will hurt,_ she thought as she fell sideways in an awkward faint.

* * *

_**A/N: This is Hinata's side of the angsty equation. I hope it works. I didn't want to make her too woe-is-me because I think she is not that kind of person.**_

_**Please let me know what you think.**_

_**Thanks! M**_


	15. Chapter 15

_**A/N: I don't own Naruto.**_

* * *

Chapter Fifteen: Adventures in Forgiveness

Hiashi could not reach his daughter fast enough to catch her.

Instead, the man next to him caught her in a wave of sand that scooped her up and carried her gently into his waiting arms.

For a moment, Hiashi felt a twinge of envy. Although he had been impressed with Gaara early on in their negotiations, this was still his daughter.

He thought back on the discussion he'd had with Gaara after the Uzumaki party. Things had gone quite well, he thought. He'd made it clear that any interest the young man had in his daughter would need to continue with parental permission as well as future plans towards a more formal contract.

"You show a marked interest in my daughter," he'd said sternly, after politely bowing the younger man into the room and offering him a cup of tea.

Gaara had nodded, a wary look on his face.

Hiashi had refrained from pointing out that it was perhaps not in the best of taste to show not only a marked interest, but to actually _mark_ his daughter in the form of a very slight nip on her collarbone. That he had noticed evidence of a more than platonic moment would be information he would use later, should negotiations not go precisely as planned.

"Is your interest one of a lasting nature?" Hiashi continued, lifting an eyebrow and looking down his long nose at Gaara.

"I believe so," Gaara had said, cautiously, "it may be early to speak in such terms."

"Perhaps," Hiashi had agreed, "Hinata is sought after by many suitors wishing to join with our family, as you know." He'd been pleased to see the spark of fire that lit the cool aqua eyes for a moment. Oh, ho, so the lad really was interested.

"What would you bring to such a union?" Hiashi had asked, sternly, quelling a lamentable urge to grin broadly. Wouldn't the clan elders be speechless in consternation? His Hinata, scorned and set aside, had caught the eye of the most eligible bachelor in the five Hidden Villages.

"I am the Godaime Kazekage," Gaara had said flatly, "I have a fortune of my own through my family inheritances. And I also own personal interests in several business ventures with my siblings that are quite lucrative. You are welcome to check my financials."

"Of course," said Hiashi, gravely, making a mental note to set Hikaru to the task immediately. "There is also the matter of the Byakugan. A blood-line limit such as ours is precious to the Leaf. There would need to be an agreement regarding any progeny," Hiashi had smirked inwardly at the startled look that crossed the boy's face. Hadn't thought that far, eh, my boy? Well, well, time to work out the details later.

"You would like to wish Hinata farewell, I'm sure," Hiashi had said graciously, standing and ushering the rather dazed young man to the door, "Please allow my nephew to show you the way."

"Thank you," Gaara had said, frowning a little.

Hiashi had refrained from skipping gleefully and bowed coolly to the young man.

He'd been quite shocked when he'd heard about the turn of events at the village gates. What had the girl done to hamper such a promising agreement?

He'd heard that the Uzumaki had said something that had caused the Kazekage to speed off without a backward glance, but his sources were unable to provide more than that. Neji refused to discuss the matter with him on his return to Konoha. The Hokage and Kurenai were likewise close-mouthed about the incident.

He'd tried once to confront Hinata and ask her what she had said or done.

He'd ventured into her garden, a place he rarely went. It was too personally hers and he always felt that he intruded whenever she had invited him in. A week after the party, he'd overcome his reservations and stepped through the gate, intent on getting some answers. He'd stopped instead at the sound of her quiet sobs.

He'd been torn, listening to her weeping in the deepening night shadows, unable to find the courage to simply comfort her. Instead, he'd gone back to the house and asked Hanabi to find her sister and stay with her.

Somehow, it had felt right.

He'd never been good at giving comfort. He'd had very few examples of it over the years. If it weren't for Hinata, he'd probably never know what comfort was.

He'd fretted over her during the weeks that followed, watching her become a shadow, avoiding him, Neji and Hanabi.

He found that he missed her at the breakfast table, more than he'd thought possible. He'd never noticed before how much he had enjoyed reading an article aloud to her and listening to her shy but thoughtful opinion. There was no one to help him puzzle out the answer to the daily crossword or discuss possible additions to the formal gardens. The whole house had seemed sunken in gloom, and he'd retreated to his former habit of taking breakfast alone.

When Gaara had appeared at the door, exhausted and filthy from his hasty travel to Konoha, Hiashi had been more than happy to welcome him to the house and invite him and his party to stay in the guest quarters.

And his happiness had not just been for the possible future contract between the young people, but for the hope that his daughter's pain would be healed.

Now, as he watched the young man cuddle Hinata against his chest, a tender look on his usually expressionless face, Hiashi was glad for her.

Whatever happened with future contracts, Hinata had found someone who cared for her.

Now it was up to him to secure her happiness.

* * *

Hanabi led the way to Hinata's room looking back frequently over her shoulder to make sure the jerk was following properly.

She stomped a little harder, just to make sure he heard her.

Stopping at Hinata's doors, she wrenched them open, rattling them alarmingly in their tracks and poking her finger accidentally through one of the rice paper panels.

"You can put her down, now," she said, pointing regally to Hinata's futon. One of the servants had fortunately scrambled ahead and unfolded the bedding so that there was a place to lay her sister down. It would have certainly cramped Hanabi's grand gesture if she'd been fussing with blankets and pillows.

Gaara stepped into the room and glanced around before kneeling to lay Hinata onto the coverlet. He spent a couple of moments arranging her head on the makura, adjusting the pillow to support her neck. He brushed her hair back from her pale face, his hand lingering on her cheek.

"Thank you!" said Hanabi loudly, "I'll take care of my sister. You can go."

Gaara looked at her, his hand resting lightly on Hinata's forehead. He nodded, stroking Hinata's brow one last time before standing up smoothly. He walked past Hanabi out the door, pausing a moment to pat her infuriatingly on the head.

"You-," she sputtered, turning hastily, but he was already halfway down the hall headed back to her father, "Baka!" She stepped into Hinata's room and cracked the doors shut, wishing for a moment that the house had hinged style doors like some of the newer houses. Now, _those_ were doors that could slam in a very satisfactory way.

She grabbed a zabuton from the oshiire closet and dropped it next to Hinata, flopping down to sit cross-legged next to her sister.

She felt completely helpless.

It had been a while since Hinata had fainted at home. She used to do it all the time. Something the doctors called 'syncope', saying that when she became agitated, the flow of blood to her head would slow down and Hinata would faint. It had been one of the reasons the clan had finally rejected her as heir, even though Hinata rarely fainted these days.

Damn that jerk.

Hanabi wasn't sure what had happened between the two but she knew it was all the jerk's fault.

She'd been seriously frightened when her father had called her and told her to go to Hinata.

He'd never done something like that before.

She'd stepped into the garden cautiously, shuffling past the softly clanging mobiles to find her sister huddled in her lounge chair, crying.

Hinata cried a lot. She was very tender hearted. Hanabi often refused to go to the movies with her, just because of Hinata's waterworks. She even cried at the trailers sometimes. It was so embarrassing, especially because Hanabi would often want to cry too, but didn't want to be seen to be like her sister.

Hinata would laugh at her, her eyelashes stuck in starry points, saying that 'crying wasn't a bad thing.'

_It's important to know your feelings, Hanabi._

Hinata always said stuff like that, smiling sweetly at Hanabi, giving her a hug.

Hanabi always pretended that she didn't like the hugs and the tears, but secretly she wished she could be more like her gentle sister.

Hanabi often felt like there was something horrible inside her, a burning resentment that twisted and made her say mean things, most often to Hinata. When she was littler she knew she had hurt Hinata a lot, treating her with disdain, calling her 'weakling' and 'unworthy', repeating the family epithets with casual cruelty.

But Hinata had never retaliated.

Hanabi had come to realize that maybe Hinata was the strongest person in the family, stronger even then Father or Neji. Stronger in her mind.

Because you had to be a strong person to put up with all the silent and not so silent crap that flew around the Hyuuga household on a regular basis.

Hanabi had also come to realize that when she was with Hinata she felt stronger, too. The ball of resentment eased, diminished, and she would return Hinata's hugs, tentatively at first, more frequently later. She would even initiate some, although it had to be a really special occasion.

When she'd gone to Hinata in the garden, she'd stood awkwardly by the chair, not knowing what to say.

In the end, she hadn't had to say anything. Hinata had opened her arms and Hanabi had crawled into their warm circle and had wrapped her own arms around her sister's shuddering form. And she'd known that even in her misery, Hinata was giving her comfort. Not the other way around.

Hanabi sighed, propping her chin up on one hand while her elbow rested on her knee, staring down at Hinata's quiet face and wishing she would wake up.

So now the jerk was back. The one who had hurt Hinata. And being Hinata, she was probably going to cry and be happy that he was back.

Hanabi didn't know how she felt about that.

Hinata's eyes fluttered, opening slowly. She looked around a little until she saw Hanabi staring down at her.

"Hi," said Hanabi, "You fainted."

"Did I?" whispered Hinata.

"The Stupid Head is here," said Hanabi.

"Stu-?" said Hinata, "the stupid head?"

"Yeah," said Hanabi, "Gaara. The Stupid Head."

Hinata smiled faintly.

"I thought I saw him," she said, struggling to sit up. Hanabi helped her. "I should go greet -."

"No!" said Hanabi, furious suddenly, "you should take your time. Take a shower. Or a bath. Or a really long nap. Make the Stupid Head wait!"

"Hanabi," said Hinata, gently, "I'm alright."

"He hurt you, onee-chan," growled Hanabi, "I don't like him."

"I know," said Hinata, pulling Hanabi into a hug, "that's why I like you so."

Hanabi pretended to struggle but put her own arms around her sister and hugged her back, knocking them back down on the futon.

"You are seriously crazy, you know that, onee-chan?" she said, glad to see a sparkle in Hinata's eyes.

"I'm a Hyuuga," said Hinata, "We're all crazy. Come help me get cleaned up!"

* * *

Kankuro hovered with Baki in the background.

Things were looking pretty good for his little brother.

Okay, so Hinata was out cold, but Papa-san seemed to be happy to see Gaara. At least he'd let the kid carry the girl off to her room. Little Sis was a might peeved, to say the least. Dang, but that girl could fume! She reminded him a little of Temari. Feisty and cute. It was gonna be fun to see how Gaara handled that little firecracker.

When Gaara came back he had a more relaxed look on his face. Kankuro watched him fall into easy conversation with Hyuuga-sama, joined after a few moments by Neji and another Hyuuga oldster.

Other Hyuuga family members drifted in, moving nonchalantly around the room, whispering and shooting speculative looks at Gaara.

Kankuro had to admire the kid's cool disregard of the scrutiny.

"Looks like everyone's checking Gaara out," he muttered to Baki.

"Hmm," said the taciturn man, but Kankuro wasn't fooled.

Baki was on alert just as much as he and Gaara were.

Everything turned now on Hinata.

Well, it was his experience that girls liked a big entrance.

Time would tell how she managed it.

* * *

Gaara hid his rising excitement with difficulty.

But he couldn't wait to have Hinata back in his arms again.

When she'd appeared in the doorway, he'd wanted to knock Hiashi out of the way and bound down the steps to snatch her up.

He'd been stopped by his own shock at her appearance.

She'd looked so tired.

Her eyes had been shadowed and sad, and she seemed thinner, less vibrant.

He'd felt a bolt of pain through his chest, distressed that their misunderstanding had caused the light to fade from her beautiful face.

When she'd fallen over, his heart had stopped and he'd been afraid that he wouldn't catch her in time. He'd pulled her into his arms with a sense of desperation, checking her out for injuries almost frantically.

It had taken a moment to reassure himself that she was alright, she'd just fainted. Holding her, looking down at her lying in his arms, he'd felt not just relief that she wasn't injured, but healed in some intrinsic way.

No matter what, as long as he had her, things would be alright.

He'd carried her to her room carefully, remembering the first time he'd carried her in Suna, knowing how much more precious this light burden was to him now. He breathed in her scent, jasmine and roses and fresh earth, fascinated, as he had been that first time, with the shadowing curve of her lashes against her pale cheek.

Hinata's little sister led the way, showing him into Hinata's room.

He'd glanced around, a little surprised at the lack of ornamentation. Except for a slender vase with a single blooming forsythia branch and a hanging scroll painting depicting a small bird in a winter scene, the room was empty of everything but the oshiire. It was very different from the exuberant garden he'd visited.

He laid her down on the futon, smoothing her silky hair back from her face, wishing that she would wake up.

He longed to hear her voice.

The little sister showed him out of the room, assuring him that she would see to Hinata, and he left discretely after patting the little girl on the head. She'd choked a little and he was touched by the devotion she showed to her older sister.

Now, standing with Hiashi and Neji, he rehearsed what he would say to her, how he would tell her his hopes for their future. He'd thought about this moment all the way to Konohagure, and was both impatient and hesitant for it to come.

There was a sudden stirring in the air and he turned to see her standing in the entrance to the room, her little sister just behind her.

She looked radiant.

She'd changed into a beautiful kimono, a soft rose color with delicate blossoms of white and pale pink scattered across it with a purple obi patterned with silver leaves. Her hair was smooth and shining, a fall of ebony that draped across one shoulder and down her back. Her oval face glowed like fine porcelain, clear and flawless and her lovely eyes were turned to him, wide and filled with light.

The rest of the room faded away and she became everything, the only thing.

He stepped to her and put out his hands and she set hers on his, trusting, sweet.

"Hinata," he breathed and was rewarded with her warm smile.

His heart turned over.

"Hinata," he said, again, her name like a token of love on his lips. Finally, he could say what he needed to say and all would be well between them.

"Hinata, I forgive you."

The air that had been so warm a moment before suddenly became charged with a cold crackle of ozone, as if a bolt of lightning had passed through the room.

She started and her hands jumped. He had to press on them tightly to maintain his hold.

Her soft eyes seemed to sharpen, focus on his and she cocked her head a little.

"I beg your pardon," she said, politely, "What did you say?"

Gaara faltered, and looked around the room quickly.

It seemed to him that every man in the room had cringed and was looking at him with an odd mixture of pity and terror.

"I said," said Gaara, forcing himself not to lick his lips first, "that I forgive you."

"You forgive me?" said Hinata, in that same odd polite tone.

It was becoming difficult to hold onto her hands, but he was determined not to let her go.

"Oh, shit," said Kankuro from somewhere to his right.

He would have looked to his brother for some clue to the sudden change in the atmosphere but was certain it would not be wise to look away from the face before him.

A face that had suddenly changed from the gentle girl of his dreams to a cool and furious woman who was rapidly reminding him of some of Temari's less than pleasant mood swings.

The burst of heated chakra in her hands stung enough for him to finally release his grip.

"You forgive me?" said Hinata, in that same chillingly polite tone. She poked him painfully in the chest. "You? Forgive me?"

"Uh," Gaara backed up a step. What was going on here?

"You forgive me," said Hinata, poking him again, "for what?"

He opened his mouth to answer but closed it when her finger bounced on his sternum again.

"For waiting for you to turn back? For expecting you to act like an adult and ask me what Naruto meant instead of running away like a child?"

Alright, that did sound bad the way she was saying it, but -.

The finger stabbed him again.

He took another step back but she followed him, her finger poking again. Her lovely eyes were narrowed into furious slits and her pale cheeks were pink with anger. He could feel a bead of sweat pop out of his scalp and roll coldly down to his neck.

"For writing to you honestly and believing that you would understand and write back?"

Stab.

"For believing in you? Losing sleep over you? Shedding tears over you?"

Stab, stab.

The other men in the room scattered to the edges of the room while the women stepped forward, surrounding him.

"Uh," he ventured.

"Well, Gaara-_kun_," said Hinata, in a very un-Hinata voice, "I don't accept your _forgiveness_!"

"But, Hinata," said Gaara, completely out of his depth and mentally floundering, "you have to. Everything is arranged. Your father and I have already started the wedding contracts and -."

"Oh, holy shit," said Kankuro.

At least the tiny virago before him had stopped poking his chest.

He put his hand up to rub the spot reflexively. She had a surprisingly sharp finger.

What had happened? Everything he'd read told him that forgiveness was the key to a good relationship and that girls wanted to be married more than anything. Why was she reacting this way?

She stood before him a frozen statue, the pink color draining from her face.

He didn't know what to do.

He looked towards his future father-in-law, hoping that the older man would be able to help.

But Hiashi was standing with his mouth open, a look of chagrin on his usually impassive face.

* * *

Hinata stared at Gaara, at his look of real bewilderment and dismay.

Her heart faltered for a moment. He was a clueless as Naruto about relationships and it probably wasn't fair to expect him to know how to handle a situation like this.

Rising fury stifled the hesitations.

Like hell!

He was a grown man! If he wanted her, he'd need to show it, not expect her to roll over like an old dog begging for scraps!

Damn his arrogance anyway.

And her father-.

She turned abruptly and stalked up to him, poking him in the chest this time.

All those years of fiddling with her fingers in her agitation and shyness. It was time he felt a little of that pressure.

The old fox.

"You made a contract? When?" she demanded, poking him again.

Hiashi jumped.

"Uh," he said.

"When?" said Hinata, dangerously.

"Hinata," said Neji in a warning tone.

Hinata turned her head and glared at him and he stepped back, his eyes widening.

"Neji, butt out," she said, curtly, turning back to her father and poking him again, "When?"

"We did speak about it the last time the Kazekage was here," said Hiashi, straightening his spine and attempting a haughty tone.

Hinata felt as though the floor had dropped out from under her feet. Her hand fell and she stepped back.

Reduced again to nothing but a possession.

A piece on the Hyuuga clan game board.

The moments when she thought she and her father were becoming friends, family, shattered like cheap pottery.

She felt a coldness rise in her, an implacable wave of icy fury unlike anything she'd ever felt before.

"I see," she said, softly, "I am nothing to you, Father, am I? Nothing more than something to be used."

She looked up at him, her eyes blazing with cold scorn, then cast her eyes around the room at all the Hyuugas.

"Well, I refuse to be used by you, any of you, any longer."

She stepped up to her father and fell on her knees before him, grabbing his hand roughly and placing in on her head.

"Seal me!"

Her father snatched his hand away as if burnt, stumbling back.

"Hinata, I-," he said.

"Seal me! I demand it!" she said, her voice, hard and cold.

He shook his head slightly and she rose in one smooth move.

"Very well," she said, and stalked away to her room.

Once the door was shut, her hands started to tremble uncontrollably and she ran to the bathroom to vomit bile into the toilet, kneeling on the floor until she felt strong enough to get up.

She pulled off her clothes, the traditional clothing that marked her as the dutiful daughter, and threw them onto the floor, dressing hastily in her jounin clothing. She packed her travel bag with her other jounin clothes and weapons and a small picture of her mother holding Hanabi.

She ransacked the bathroom quickly for toiletries flinging them into the pack haphazardly.

Her eyes were dry and hot and she was driven by a fierce anger that stifled all her softness.

"Hinata," said Hanabi, standing hesitantly in the doorway, "What are you doing?"

"I'm leaving," said Hinata, buckling up her bag tightly.

She glanced around her sterile, cold room without regret.

"Hinata, please don't go!" said Hanabi, her voice choked with tears. She flung herself at her older sister, sobbing into her breast, "Please don't go. Father didn't mean -."

Hinata hugged Hanabi tightly.

"Yes, he did," she said, her voice hard, "He has always meant to trade me for something more valuable."

She gently pushed Hanabi away, stroking the girl's face.

"I'm just not willing anymore to be an item put up for the highest bidder," she said.

She pushed past Hanabi and headed down the hallway to the front door, ignoring all the people standing dumbstruck in the main room.

She spared a thought for Gaara, standing bewildered in the middle.

Well, if he wanted her, he needed to figure out how to get her.

Because right now, he wasn't much different from her father.

Forgive her, indeed!

"Hinata-san!" said Hyuuga Ichiru, one of the older council members. He stepped in front of her blocking her way to the door. "You have acted shamefully and disgraced the family enough! Bow down to your father and accept the clan's punishment."

Hinata stopped and looked at the older man coldly.

"Oji-sama," she said, her voice brittle and dangerous, "step out of my way or you will find out exactly how gentle my fists really are."

Her uncle stared at her, startled.

They looked at one another measuringly.

He stepped aside.

Hinata walked out of the Hyuuga compound with her pack and the eyes of her clan heavy on her back.

* * *

_**A/N: Well, you know, it is me writing this, and I just can't help complicating things if there's a possibility, right? Besides, would it really be good for Gaara to get the girl without a little wooing? No! Of course not.**_

_**And to be honest with you, this is the thought I had that has driven this whole story. What would it take for Hinata to snap and finally tell her family off? Let me know what you think, okay?**_

_**M**_

_**By the way, the title is from the following quote:**_

Life is an adventure in forgiveness.

**Norman Cousins**  
_US editor & essayist (1915 - 1990)_


	16. Chapter 16

_**A/N: I do not own Naruto.**_

* * *

Chapter Sixteen: A Fresh Perspective

Tsunade flung the contents of her sake cup down her throat and glared at the person who had dared to slam open the door to her office just as she was preparing to enjoy an end of the day drink. She opened her mouth, about to let loose a stream of abuse at the offender. She closed it again with a snap.

Was that Hinata? Hyuuga Hinata? Glaring back at her?

Tsunade shook her head.

Couldn't be. Hyuuga Hinata would never glare at anyone let alone the Hokage.

"Hokage-sama," said whoever it was in a furious voice, "I need your permission to move into the women's dorm immediately."

The voice sounded like Hyuuga Hinata, although she'd never heard such a demanding tone come from her before.

"And I want any earnings I receive to come directly to me," said the angry girl, the veins around her eyes popping out alarmingly.

Kami, it really did look like Hinata.

Tsunade poured another tot of sake and tossed it back.

She stared at the girl in front of her.

She smiled.

"Why, of course, Hinata-san," she said, calmly, "please go to the Quarter-master and let her know I've authorized housing for you. I'll direct Personnel to contact you for your banking instructions in the morning"

Hinata nodded briskly and stalked out of the room.

Well, well, well.

She knew the Kazekage had gone directly to the Hyuuga compound rather than stopping to see her, as protocol demanded.

Things hadn't gone so smoothly with that reunion, it seemed.

About time the brat had his nose tweaked a little.

Tsunade had heard all about the way he'd left Hinata standing at the gate and she'd felt badly for the little girl. He deserved whatever he'd gotten, although Tsunade couldn't imagine Hinata really telling the snotty punk off.

And if she was a betting woman, and Kami knew she was, she'd bet quite a bit that Hiashi had poked his oar in where it wasn't wanted and stirred up a hornet's nest.

Or rather, stirred up the fury of a very capable Leaf kunoichi.

It was about time little Hinata stood up to her father.

Tsunade poured herself another generous dollop and grinned broadly.

Oh, to be a fly on the wall in that house!

She sipped the potent drink appreciatively.

* * *

She had just returned from hiding the empty sake bottle in her latest stash under the bookcase in Shizune's office when her door slammed open, bouncing back and smacking the interloper in the chest.

She smirked at the gravely 'ow! Damn!' she heard, sitting down behind her desk and gazing pleasantly at her latest visitor.

"Kazekage-sama," she said, steepling her hands with her elbows on the desk, "How can I help you?"

"Where is she?" said Gaara, looking wildly around the room.

"Who?" said Tsunade, holding her hands in front of her mouth to hide the gleeful smile that hovered on her lips.

"You know very well who," said Gaara, flinging himself in one of the wooden chairs in front of the desk, "I know she came here. Where did she go?"

"Oh, do you mean Hyuuga-sama?" said Tsunade innocently, "She _was_ just here, indeed."

She almost felt guilty at the look of despair he shot her, but quickly stifled it. The boy had injured one of her shinobi and he would need to learn how to fix it.

"Yes," he said, frowning. He looked bewildered, and her heart twanged with a feeling of sympathy. He was very young, really, and hurting. "I really messed up, but I don't know how," he said, sadly.

"Hmm," said Tsunade, waiting to see what the boy would say next.

"I thought if I forgave her, everything would be alright-," murmured Gaara, shaking his head and slumping down in the chair.

"You what?" said Tsunade, all pretense of innocence set aside, "You forgave her?"

Gaara looked up at her startled.

"Yes, of course," he said, sitting up and looking at her with a puzzled expression, "was I wrong to do that?"

"Get out of my office, you moron," said the Godaime Hokage, standing up and pointing at the doorway with an imperative finger.

"Moron?" said Gaara, shocked.

"Get. Out," said Tsunade, her ample breast heaving in indignation, "and don't come back until you make it up to that poor girl."

Gaara stood up and stared at the obviously angry woman before him.

"I should probably point out that it is not wise for one leader to call another leader 'moron'," he said, stiffly.

Tsunade's eyes flashed and Gaara moved towards the door hastily.

"I'll speak to you later when you've calmed down," he said with dignity, stepping out of the door and closing it quickly.

Tsunade watched the scroll she'd flung after him hit the door harmlessly and roll across the floor.

"Damn snotty punk," she muttered.

She went back to Shizune's office to get a fresh bottle of sake.

* * *

She was actually feeling rather mellow when the door opened to her office for the third time.

She wasn't even surprised to see Hyuuga Hiashi stride in, pale and agitated, followed by an equally pale Hyuuga Neji.

"Lady Tsunade," said Hiashi, bowing curtly, "I am here to ask if you have seen Hinata."

"And if I have?" said Tsunade calmly.

"Have you?" said Hiashi, his anxious expression lightening a little, "I wish to make sure that she is alright. She left in some haste and I – I'm concerned for her."

"I see," said Tsunade. She gestured toward the sake bottle. "Care for a drink?"

Hiashi hesitated and nodded.

She opened the drawer to her desk and pulled out two cups.

"Neji-san?" the younger man shook his head and stepped back. She noted with approval that he was staying neutral to whatever conversation would occur, understanding her tacit reassurance that Hinata was safe. Clever prodigy. She filled her cup and poured one for Hiashi, who took it and tossed back the contents without waiting for any formalities. She followed his example and downed her own drink.

"Have a seat," invited Tsunade, refilling both cups.

Hiashi dropped heavily into the same chair recently vacated by the man who was courting his daughter and sighed heavily. He picked up the sake cup and sipped.

A pensive silence fell between them.

"If you see her," he said, "please tell her that I never – that I do not -," he stopped speaking and took another sip. He looked up at Tsunade and she was touched to see the genuine concern in his pale eyes. "Please tell her that I believed I was acting in her best interests and not – and not just for the clans'."

"Of course," said Tsunade quietly.

Hiashi finished his drink and stood up, nodding to her with dignity.

"I leave her in your care," he said and left the room.

Neji glanced over at her before following.

"He really means that, you know," he said.

Tsunade nodded, watching as he let himself out and shut the door gently.

She filled her cup with the last of the bottle and lifted it to salute an absent Hinata.

"Well done, Hinata-sama," she said and tossed back the drink.

* * *

_**A/N: Short, I know. Just a little curtain-teaser. **_

_**M.**_


	17. Chapter 17

_**A/N: Disclaimer – I do not own Naruto.**_

* * *

Chapter Seventeen: Finding Comfort

Kami, what the hell happened in there?

Once Gaara had taken off after Hinata, Kankuro hadn't felt much like hanging around. He'd shrugged apologetically at Baki, mumbled something about 'checking into things' and made a hasty exit.

No way was he hanging out with all those creepy Hyuugas listening to them berate his brother and Hinata.

What was all that crap anyway about him forgiving her?

Damn, he should have gone over everything with Gaara on the way to Konoha. He'd asked him if he knew what he was going to do and Gaara had seemed so confident, saying he'd talked it all over with Baki.

He should have stopped him right there.

Truth was, he hadn't even thought about what Gaara was going to say. He was just glad that they were heading back to make things right.

Now here he was in the middle of Konoha, no brother, no sensei, no idea what to do next.

He probably should find Temari and let her know what was going on, but he really didn't want to.

She'd blame him anyway. He blamed himself. No reason for her not to.

Still, he didn't want to hear a lecture. At least not from her. At least not yet.

He wandered through the darkening streets, kicking at stones in the road, his hands in his pockets and a feeling of dread in his chest.

Fuck, why couldn't things just work out? Why did everything have to be so complicated? Once Gaara saw Hinata, there should have been loud romantic music, a lot of kissing, and everything solved in a happily ever after way.

Instead, there was a huge drama fest with Hinata, of all people, at the center of it.

He could still hear the sound of her knees hitting the floor and her voice ringing out, 'seal me!'

A chill ran down his spine.

The sound of barking broke through his concentration and he looked around.

He'd walked outside of the village into a more rural area. The shops had been left behind and an empty road stretched in front of him. A high wooden fence on his right closed off what was obviously a large compound. Thick woods loomed on the other side of the road. He could hear the barking of a pack of dogs and he looked around apprehensively, loosening Crow a little and getting himself for an attack.

"Alright, already, you mutts! Settle down!"

The woman's voice came from over the fence, clear and commanding.

The noise from the dogs stopped immediately.

Kankuro smiled.

He could just imagine a lot of canine rumps sitting in the dirt, obedient to the sound of their Master's voice.

He walked a little further to the gates of the Inuzuka compound and looked in.

Just as he imagined, he could see a row of four dogs all sitting in a small yard, staring expectantly at the woman in front of them. One of the dogs gave a short bark and she looked over her shoulder.

"Well, hello there," said Hana.

"Hi," Kankuro stood at the gate and hesitated. The dogs were enormous beasts. He didn't know much about dogs but he knew enough to wait to be invited before stepping into their territory. Kind of like being around Gaara when Shukaku was still in situ.

Hana looked at the dogs and nodded her head. Three of them stood up and walked over to Kankuro, circling him and sniffing him carefully.

Kankuro stayed very still and worked on his breathing.

After all, he came as a friend, right?

And dogs could sense friendliness, right?

He realized that he had squeezed his eyes shut and opened them to see Hana grinning at him, with her head cocked to one side.

This was a test, he guessed. Like me, like my dogs.

Well, he liked her. A lot. Wasn't sure about the dogs.

One of the dogs poked him hard in the ass with its snout and Kankuro was sure he heard the others make a sound like a doggy sort of chuckle.

"Okay," said Hana, "that's enough, boys. Kankuro, meet my companions, the Haimaru brothers."

Kankuro looked at each of the dogs wondering if he was expected to make any special kind of greeting to them.

"Hey," he said, offhandedly.

The dogs seemed to give that chuckle again. They turned and loped back to Hana.

"So, come on in," said Hana, "I was just about to feed these guys when you showed up."

She started walking away towards a large shed, the dogs milling around her, their tails sweeping in wide circles. Kankuro hurried to join her.

"What brings you to our home?" said a deep, harsh voice.

Kankuro looked around, startled. He hadn't seen anyone else nearby.

The dogs all chuckled again.

He looked down and saw that he was being paced by the largest of the dogs, a huge black creature with a patch over one eye.

The dog looked back with what almost seemed like an impatient frown.

"Hana," said the dog, "this one seems to be on the stupid side."

Kankuro stopped dead in his tracks.

He'd heard about nin-dogs before, but he'd never heard that they could talk.

"Not stupid," said Hana, pausing to allow Kankuro time to catch up, "just surprised."

Somehow, Kankuro was able to get his legs moving and he joined her.

"Your dog talks," he said, wincing at the squeaky sound he made. He cleared his throat.

"That's my mom's companion, Kuromaru," said Hana, a little tartly, "He prefers that to 'dog'."

"Sorry," mumbled Kankuro, glancing at the mammoth black animal, "Companion."

"Are you planning on answering the question?" said Kuromaru, growling a little.

"Uh," said Kankuro, trying to remember what the question was. Oh, yeah, what brought him to the Inuzuka's. "Well, I was walking around and just found myself outside your compound."

The other dogs looked at each other and chuckled again.

"Hmm," said the older dog thoughtfully, "just found yourself here. I suppose you were expecting to find Hana?"

Man, this was weird. It was like being grilled by someone's father, only with a lot more hair. And teeth.

"Well, I-," said Kankuro. What had brought him here? He hadn't been planning on searching her out right away.

"Oh, stop," said Hana, "Leave him alone."

She slid open the large door of the shed and stepped inside. Kankuro and the dogs followed.

"Have a seat," said Hana, nodding at a stool next to a counter, "This will take a little while."

Kankuro hoisted himself up on the stool and watched her pull a large pot out of an old refrigerator that hummed and rattled against one wall. The dogs whined expectantly.

Hana set the pot down on the counter and grabbed four large metal bowls. She scooped some kibble out of a large bin and shook some into each bowl. Then she started ladling a goopy mix of cooked meat and other things Kankuro wasn't sure he wanted to know about out of the pot and adding some to each bowl of kibble.

"It's a special recipe we've developed," said Hana, "don't look too closely. If you figure out what's in it, I'll have to kill you."

He looked up at her, startled.

Clans took their secrets pretty seriously, but, honestly, dog food?

She grinned toothily at him.

"Just kidding," she said, pushing her sleeves up to her elbow. She plunged her left hand into the mixture in the first bowl and stirred it up, carrying the bowl over to a sink and adding water until she was satisfied.

She set the bowl on a low bench and stood back.

The Haimaru brothers sat down and waited as Kuromaru stepped up and sniffed the bowl.

"Perfect," he said, and stuck his muzzle into the bowl.

Hana mixed up the other bowls and washed her hands carefully at the sink.

She came over to Kankuro and leaned against the counter beside him.

"Why don't you feed the others, too?" he asked.

"Well, it's just like people," she said, "Nin-dogs have their hierarchy, too. Kuromaru is a respected elder of this clan. He eats first."

"Oh," said Kankuro, watching the big black dog wolf down his food.

The three Haimaru brothers waited patiently, whining a little.

"So," said Hana, "what _did _bring you here?"

Kankuro felt himself get a little hot under his collar.

"I wasn't really planning on coming here tonight," he said, "We got to Konoha a couple of hours ago."

"We?" asked Hana.

Kankuro glanced over at her. She was looking at the nin-dogs, a serene smile on her face.

"Gaara, Baki and I," he said, "we went to the Hyuuga's."

"Ah," said Hana.

Kuromaru licked the last of the food out of his bowl and flipped it over. His long pink tongue swooped around his muzzle for a few moments.

"Alright, kids," he growled, "Your turn."

Hana pushed off from the counter and picked up his dish, setting it in the sink. She picked up the other three dishes and put them on the bench. The brothers looked at the dishes longingly then turned to Hana and stared at her, poised for permission to eat.

Hana sauntered over to Kankuro again and took up her spot next to him.

"Go," she said, and the brothers dove into their food.

"You make them wait?" said Kankuro, fascinated.

"I'm the leader of this little pack," she said, "They don't eat if I don't let them."

"Hunh," grunted Kankuro.

"So you went to the Hyuugas and things didn't go the way you expected," she said, studying the dogs.

"No," said Kankuro. He watched the dogs for a moment.

"I really fucked up!" he said, anguish in his voice. "I should have asked him what he was going to say, but, like an idiot, I let Baki handle it."

He told Hanna the whole story, how Gaara had acted in Suna, how they'd rushed to Konoha, how glad he'd been to see them come together, what a disaster everything had turned into. She listened, leaning next to him or washing the bowls or tidying the room. The dusk became dark and lights bloomed outside the shed, illuminating the paths to the house. The dogs stayed with them for a while, lounging at Kankuro's feet, until they'd sauntered off into the night.

He finished, a feeling of relief filling him.

Kami, he was bone tired. Exhausted.

He felt as though he'd fought long and hard all day and finally had a moment's peace.

She turned off the lights and it took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the gloom. The cool night air swirled past the open door, dipping in to wash over his face. He felt almost as if he was floating in the dark, his body and mind suspended in drowsiness.

He heard her walk over to him, quiet and confident. She pressed his knees open and stepped between them, lifting his face in her hands.

Her lips were cool at first, like her fingers, brushing his face gently, warming as they moved across his eyelids and down his nose to settle, full and sweet on his lips.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly against his body, greedy for her heat and for her. He angled his head to drink in more of her luscious mouth, sweeping his tongue across her palate, along the sharp points of her teeth.

She wriggled in his arms, sliding her hips against him maddeningly. He groaned in her mouth and she chuckled. She pulled her head back, breaking the kiss with a gasp, panting.

Her eyes seemed to glow in the dark, like the eyes of a wolf, green-gold and beautiful. He stared into them, caught in a spell, a lovely snare in the circle of her arms and her bright gaze.

She pushed at his shoulders, closing her eyes briefly, and he pulled away a little, shaking his head.

Man, he was more tired than he thought.

His stomach groaned loudly.

Hana laughed.

"Come on," she said, "Time for you to get fed, too."

She grabbed his hand and pulled him up from the stool.

"Special recipe?" he said, only half joking.

"Yep, Ma makes the best," she grinned at him, shaking her head.

She slipped her arm through his and steered him out the shed and along a path leading to the main house.

The gravel path led through a tunnel of trees, thick and old, mysterious, lit with small lamps nestled in ferns.

He felt again that he was caught in a spell, and wondered for a moment if he should turn back.

He looked down at Hana, bright eyes and warm smile, and clung to her arm more tightly.

He realized that he couldn't turn back now.

He was caught, good and proper.

* * *

Baki didn't know what to do.

It was an uncomfortable feeling.

Things were generally very cut and dried in his life, black and white, bounded by protocol and standard operating procedure.

The last years, things had been changing, softening some would say, although he welcomed the changes for his students' sakes. He was glad for them, for the hope of happiness and the possibility of a normal life. At least as normal as any life could get in the shinobi world.

And, miraculously, they were happier. Not, he knew, because of him, but because of their own amazing talents and hard work. He loved them, loved them as if they were his own sister and brothers, his own children.

Now, he walked through the darkening streets of Konoha, wondering what to do for his youngest student.

Kami knew he hadn't given him very good council.

He was a bewildered as Gaara as to the turn of events.

What had sent that quiet girl into such a frenzy?

Although, to be quite honest, it was most impressive. He hadn't known the girl had so much spirit.

A tug on his hand brought him back to his surroundings with a start.

"See, Mommy? I told you! It's Mr. Baki-sensei-sama-man!"

Baki looked down to see Daichi jumping up and down, gripping his hand tightly and grinning broadly.

"See, Mommy? I was right! Was I right? I was right? Hunh? Was I?" shouted Daichi, swinging himself on Baki's arm.

Baki automatically gripped the child's arm and pulled up a little to prevent the boy from falling. He looked around for his mother.

Kurenai hurried out of a small grocery store, clutching two sacks of groceries with a frown on her face.

"Daichi!" she said in the sharp tone that mothers use to cut through any nonsense, "what did I tell you about going out of the store without waiting for me? I'm very angry with you!"

Daichi stopped swinging and looked at his mother with wide eyes. His grinning mouth turned down and he shrank back against Baki's leg.

"I'm sorry, Mommy," he said mournfully, "I forgotted."

She knelt down in front of the boy, dropping her bags and putting her hands on either side of his face.

"That is not something you can forget. No matter what," she said seriously.

Daichi nodded, tears starting in his eyes.

"Good boy," she said, gently, kissing him. She picked up the bags and stood up gracefully, focusing her attention on Baki.

Baki felt a little guilty, for what he wasn't sure.

"Hello," said Kurenai, "Daichi was right. It is Mr. Baki-sensei-sama-man."

"Good evening, Yuuhi-san," said Baki. He crooked his arm again as Daichi began to swing.

Kurenai smiled slightly.

"Are you here for a visit?" she said.

Baki felt another surge of guilt.

"Yes, well," he hesitated, "I accompanied the Kazekage to the Hyuuga compound today."

"Really?" Kurenai's face glowed, "Oh, I'm so happy!"

Baki cleared his throat uncomfortably and Kurenai frowned slightly.

"Things didn't go as expected," said Baki gruffly.

Her eyes opened wide and she studied him while he stood stoically in front of him, waiting for her sharp questions.

"Hmm," she said, "Baki-san, have you had supper yet?"

Baki stared at her, startled. That was not one of the questions he was expecting.

"Daichi, would you like to ask Baki-sensei to join us for dinner?" said Kurenai smiling down at her son who was in the process of scaling Baki's body.

"Yes!" shouted Daichi, "Yes! You gotta come! You gotta! My Mommy makes the best food! You gotta come!" He yanked on Baki's hand, leaning his body towards the street. "Mommy's making tonkatsu. My favorite. I LOVE tonkatsu! Do you love tonkatsu? Tonkatsu is the best!"

Baki dug his heels into the pavement.

"I don't wish to intrude," he said diffidently. Really, he had no idea what to do. His mind was completely blank. There were no protocols or standard operating procedures to deal with this kind of situation. He had never been invited to a dinner before. Not one that hadn't been a function of his duties as a shinobi of Suna. He'd eaten with his students, of course, but generally they ate at a restaurant or at the Kazekage tower. People didn't invite him places.

Ever.

"It's no intrusion," said Kurenai heading away from him.

"C'mon! Hurry!" shouted Daichi, tugging hard on Baki's hand with both of his. "I'm hungry! Mommy, I'm hungry!"

"Let's go, then," she said, with a smile over her shoulder.

Baki let himself be led by the boy, a feeling of unreality swirling inside him. He kept his eye on Kurenai as she walked to an apartment building two streets away. Daichi skipped along beside him, singing a complicated, rambling song that he was apparently making up as they went along.

"Tonkatsu! Tonkatsu! Mommy cooks you, Mommy cooks you! Daichi eats it up, up, up, up! Up the stairs! Tonkatsu! Tonkatsu! Mr. Baki-sensei-sama-man eats it up, up, up, up! Up the stairs! Up, up, up!"

They stopped at the fourth floor, Daichi jumping up and down while Kurenai juggled packages to search for her keys in her purse. Baki reached over and relieved her of the bags, suddenly ashamed that he hadn't thought of it before.

"Let me! Let me!" said Daichi, taking the key out of Kurenai's hand and poking it inexpertly in the lock. He stuck his tongue out in concentration, turning the key with both hands. He opened the door and ran in kicking off his shoes and disappearing into the apartment.

Kurenai stepped in and turned to Baki, slipping off her shoes.

"I really didn't mean to intrude," said Baki again, standing awkwardly at the door with her grocery bags in his hands. "You don't need to invite me -."

Kurenai flicked a switch, turning lights on behind her. She smiled and pointed to the left of the door.

"The kitchen is over there. Why don't you carry the bags in and put them down? I'll be right back."

She disappeared into the apartment.

Baki stood in the doorway, unsure of his next move.

He decided to do what generally worked on other occasions.

He followed orders.

He stepped into the apartment and slipped off his shoes. As he headed towards the kitchen, he looked around the room almost shyly.

He was struck by layers of color, shades of red and gold and purple and blue, and by shelves of books and baskets of toys, and by comfortable big furniture. The room was large, made larger still by the bank of dark windows along one wall, looking out over the lantern lit park. He stepped into the kitchen and fumbled for a switch by the doorway. He set the bags down on the counter by the sink and looked around. The refrigerator was covered with pictures by Daichi or of Daichi, stuck on with colorful magnets in the shape of bugs and dinosaurs. There were plants in the window over the sink and he could smell the fresh scent of herbs and tea.

It was as different from his tiny sterile barrack's room as night was to day.

This was a home.

He could hear Kurenai and Daichi somewhere else in the apartment.

He stood, awkward, wondering if he should unpack the grocery bags, wondering if he should sit down in the living room, wondering if he should leave.

Kurenai stepped in to the room and smiled.

All thoughts of leaving, all thoughts of anything, really, fled.

She looked softer than he'd seen her before. She'd changed somehow from the more formal woman he'd met previously. He didn't know much about women's clothing – make that, he didn't know anything about women's clothing, but she seemed unbound, free. He found himself looking down at her bare feet, fascinated by their elegant shape and the pink polish on her toes.

His heart started to beat faster.

"Daichi's cleaning his room," she said, walking over to the sacks and taking things out, "He wants to show you his toys."

"Oh," said Baki, "He doesn't need -."

"Please," said Kurenai with a laugh, "I'm grateful for the excuse. I've been after him to straighten up for days."

"Well, then," Baki cleared his throat.

"Why don't you go find him?" she said, smiling warmly over her shoulder, "I'll get dinner ready."

"Yes, I -. If you don't need -," he said.

"He'd love it," she said, shooing him off with her hand.

Baki turned around on his heel and fled the kitchen.

Where was all his usual stalwart calm? His cool aplomb?

He felt as young as Gaara, helpless before the gaze of a lovely woman.

He went in search of Daichi.

Daichi's room was small and crammed with more color. At first it was dizzying. Animal posters and drawings by Daichi jostled for space on the pale green walls. The bed was piled with stuffed animals. Small colorful plastic blocks were scattered over the floor along with a complete set of toy barnyard animals with accompanying sheds and fences. Baki stood at the doorway and wondered how anyone could live in this kind of chaos.

Daichi was picking up the blocks and tossing them into a plastic bin, one by one, singing a wandering song.

"Red block, in you go. Another red block, you go, too. Green one, next. Now comes blue…"

At the rate he was going, Baki estimated that the room would be clean in –

Never.

Time to take matters into his capable hands. After all, he was sensei to one of the most fearsome teams in the shinobi world. This was nothing compared to working with his three students.

He cleared his throat.

Daichi looked up, startled. His eyes widened and he grinned broadly.

"Yay!" shouted Daichi, jumping up and knocking over the bin spilling all the blocks he had collected. He ran over to Baki and flung his arms around the man's legs. "I'm so glad you're here! Come into my room. You can play with me. Do you like blocks? I LOVE blocks. Wanna play blocks?" Daichi pulled on Baki's pants to hustle him into the room. "Let's make something. Whatcha wanna make? A fort? Do you wanna make a fort?" He started snapping blocks together.

"Daichi," said Baki, his voice harsh, "didn't your mother tell you to clean your room?"

Daichi cocked his head, frowning a little. The glow on his face dimmed.

"You mad? You mad at me? Hunh?" he asked, "You sound mad. You mad?"

Baki looked down frowning and Daichi seemed to shrink away from him. His heart squeezed painfully.

What was he doing? This was no barracks like the one he'd lived in since he was five. This was a warm and happy home filled with joy. This child was not some raw recruit who needed to be whipped into shape. This was a little boy like Gaara or Kankuro could have been. A cheerful, light-hearted child.

Who was looking at him like he'd been struck.

Baki cleared his throat and tried again.

"No, I'm not mad," he said more gently, "Your mother sent me to help you."

"Yosh!" said Daichi, brightening again. Baki's heart lifted. "Okay, Mr. Baki-sensei-sama-man! You can help! You can help me make a fort."

In the end, Baki put the farm animals away under the pretext of needing room to sit, before he folded his long legs and settled on the floor.

Daichi explained the principles behind the plastic blocks and the fort took shape very quickly.

They were arguing over whether to put another wing on for the farm animals, which had made it out of the bin again, when Kurenai called them from the doorway.

"Hate to interrupt you boys, but dinner is ready. Go wash your hands," she said and disappeared.

"C'mon, Mr. Baki-sensei-sama-man, dinner! I'm SO hungry!" Daichi jumped up and Baki could hear him singing the tonkatsu song in the bathroom to the sound of vigorous splashing.

Baki looked around the room ruefully. He was not very good at cleaning up toys apparently, because the room looked just like it did when he first entered it. Still, there was a pretty serviceable fort built ready for use. If you were about two and a half inches high. At least the barn yard animals were suitably housed.

His mouth twitched.

He stood up, stretching and searched out the bathroom.

Surveying the crumpled towel on the floor and the quantities of water on the rim of the sink, Baki's mouth twitched again. He washed his hands and wiped up the water before hanging the towel back on the rack. At least he cleaned up something.

He took a deep breath and released it before marching into the living room.

Daichi was already sitting at the kotatsu, the thin futon wrapped around his legs. He grinned at Baki and patted the table top next to him.

"You sit here, Mr. Baki-man, next to my momma and me," he said.

"Let me see if your mother needs help first," he said, and headed over to the kitchen.

Kurenai stood at the counter, arranging dishes on a tray.

The overhead light fell on her in a glowing nimbus, caressing the waves of her shining chestnut hair and the curves of her shoulder and hip. He caught himself staring again at her feet, at their high arches and rosy heels. He gulped and cleared his throat.

She looked over her shoulder and smiled at him.

His breath caught and his mouth went dry.

"Did you come to help carry?" she said, handing him a tray.

He took it, speechless, and clutched the tray with both hands. He felt as though he had been handed something much more weighty than the rectangle of wood. Something rare and precious.

She picked up another serving dish and waved him towards the living room.

He turned and carried the platter carefully, setting it down on the table with relief.

She sat down opposite Daichi and began to set dishes out, one for Daichi, one for him, one for herself.

He lowered himself and sat on the zabuton between her and Daichi.

Clapping his hands together and joining Daichi and Kurenai in thanking the gods for the food, Baki closed his eyes briefly.

His thanks came from the bottom of his heart.

* * *

"Shit, Temi, don't answer it," hissed Shikamaru, shaking his hair out of his eyes, as his girlfriend climbed over him to answer the pounding at the door.

"It might be important," she said, a mischievous smile on her lips, "Now, don't move, sweetie pie, and I won't have to hurt you."

"At least let me go," he growled, pulling on the chakra reinforced ropes that secured him to the four corners of his king-sized bed.

Temari looked over her shoulder and shook her head slowly.

"No can do," she said, "You agreed it was my turn to call the shots."

She sauntered out of the bedroom, swinging her extremely shapely ass that was currently tantalizingly covered in a pair of silky boy-shorts.

Shikamaru pulled again at the restraints, reflecting that if he really wanted to get loose he could. It was an agreement they had made early on in their relationship. Of course, when he weighed the probabilities of continued delightful play versus her undoubted crankiness if he cut himself free – he relaxed back against the pillows. No contest.

Even if it was ANBU out there, he wouldn't release himself. He'd found plenty of them in some very compromising positions in the past. This just happened to be his turn. Troublesome, but well worth it. Anything with Temari was worth it, not that he told her too often.

He listened to her open the door and talk to someone and spared a moment to hope she'd thrown something on over her before letting some ANBU asshole into his apartment. It was one thing for them to catch him in the altogether, and quite another for someone to be checking her out.

He heard a lower gravelly voice speak and frowned.

Did that sound like –?

Temari's voice answered back, louder and more urgently.

Uh, yeah, that did sound like her brother. The Kazekage of Suna. Known to crush other men for the slightest provocation.

Without a second's hesitation, Shikamaru severed the cords and leapt off the bed, pulling on a pair of sweat pants.

Love was one thing. Saving his balls was another. And the first couldn't happen without the second, anyway. Even Temari would have to agree with that logic.

He pulled a tee-shirt over his head for good measure and stepped out into the tiny living room.

Gaara was sitting in the only decent chair looking even more morose than usual.

Shikamaru nodded nonchalantly.

"S'up?" he said, strolling towards the kitchen. Gaara stared woodenly at the dark television set and didn't answer. Shikamaru added a little speed and hoped he didn't look like he was scurrying off like a mouse confronted by a cat.

Temari looked sexy as hell in one of his button-down shirts. The kettle was hissing on the stove and she had set out the tea pot and three cups on a tray. She looked over her shoulder and grimaced at Shikamaru, getting the tea caddy out of the cupboard and adding it to the tray.

"Something happened with Hinata," she hissed as he came over and put his hands on her waist, "He got to Konoha a couple of hours ago and went to her house and…I don't know what happened after that."

"Okay," said Shikamaru. He was pretty sure she was not about to hear any good advice about leaving things alone. "Do you want me to stick around? Or do you want to talk to him alone?" He nuzzled the side of her neck, pulling her against his chest.

She turned in his arms and put hers around him tightly.

"Do you mind staying?" she said hesitantly, "I know you don't like to get involved, but he might listen to you."

"Of course I don't mind," he lied and kissed her gently.

She pulled away and the look of gratitude she gave him warmed him to his toes and all parts between. He slipped an experimental hand under the shirt and spread it over her back.

"Why don't you go out there and sit with him," she whispered, pushing him away, shooing him towards the living room with her hand. "I'll bring in the tea in a minute."

Shikamaru stifled a sigh and nodded.

He slouched back to the living room and sat down on his sagging sofa.

"So," he said, "you're back."

Gaara nodded.

"Kankuro with you?" Shikamaru said.

Gaara nodded again.

Silence fell between the men.

Honestly, Shikamaru really didn't want to know what had happened to make Gaara come calling. Actually, he hadn't even known that Gaara knew where Shikamaru lived. It sent a chill down his back for a moment. Dating the sister of a dangerous former psychopath had risks he'd forgotten about, since Gaara wasn't very often in Konoha. He studied the other young man for a moment.

He didn't look dangerous.

In fact, he looked a lot like someone who'd had his puppy run over by a wagon.

Sad and kind of defeated.

It was a novel look for the guy. Made him look like every other sucker Shikamaru knew who'd fallen for a girl. Actually, he had the same expression on his face Shikamaru had seen in the mirror whenever Temari left for Suna. A sad-sack schmoe.

A bubble of extremely inappropriate hilarity formed in his chest. He could feel the corners of his mouth turn upward and his lips pull back from his teeth.

Shit! If he started to laugh right now, not only would his life be in danger, his love-life would be up for grabs.

He managed to school his face into his usual scowl when Temari stepped out with the tea things clattering on her tray.

She frowned at him and he shook his head.

Nope, nothing to see here. Nothing at all.

She jerked her head towards Gaara and lifted an eyebrow inquiringly.

Oh. Nope, nothing to see there either.

Except a poor sad-sack schmoe who'd lost his puppy.

A snort escaped Shikamaru and he lunged for a cup of tea.

Temari looked at him with an irritated frown.

"Sneezed," he said quickly, taking a sip and burning his tongue, "Ahgh!"

Temari shook her head and knelt by Gaara.

"Gaara, what happened?" she said gently.

Gaara mumbled something and she leaned closer to him.

Shikamaru listened in fascination as Temari gently teased the story of what happened at the Hyuuga's that evening.

Did he actually say-?

Temari reared back and stared at her brother.

Shikamaru's jaw dropped.

"You forgave her?" said Temari.

Gaara nodded his eyes wide and hurt.

"You? Forgave her?" said Temari.

Gaara looked at his sister in bewilderment.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" he said, "Even the Hokage said that. Then she called me a moron. I don't think a leader of one nation should call someone names-."

"She's right. You moron!" said Temari, scooting back from the chair and standing up. She glared at Gaara. "You've got to be the stupidest man on earth."

Shikamaru couldn't help himself. He snickered.

Two pairs of aqua eyes swiveled in his direction, one pair blazing with anger, the other the epitome of schmoe.

"You got something to say, Nara?" said his girl-friend in her snottiest tone, her hands on her hips.

"Nope," he said, choking back the outright guffaw that was lodged in his throat. He took a gulp of tea to wash it down.

Temari glared at him for a moment, her eyes narrowed to flashing slits. She turned back to Gaara.

"I can't believe a brother of mine would do such a stupid thing! After what you put that girl through," Temari pointed a finger at her brother wagging it aggressively under his nose.

Gaara reared back in the chair and put a protective hand on his chest.

"What-," he said meekly, "What should I have said? When I was coming here I talked it over with Baki and we both agreed that -."

Temari stopped glaring and looked down at her youngest brother in disbelief.

"Baki?" she said, her voice rising to an alarming squeak, "You took advice from Baki on how to handle women?" She smacked a hand to her forehead dramatically and closed her eyes. "You really are a moron."

It was suddenly all too much for Shikamaru to handle.

Tea spurted out of his nose and mouth in a fine mist, spraying Gaara in the face.

"Shikamaru," said Temari in a chillingly cold tone, "I'm going home."

She stalked into the bedroom slamming the cheap door behind her.

Tea went down Shikamaru's windpipe and he choked for a moment.

His unwanted guest stood up, tea dripping from his nose, a look of shock on his face.

Shikamaru grabbed the first thing he could find and tossed it to Gaara.

"Wipe your face, man," he gasped, shuffling off after Temari, "be right back."

In the game of Priorities, always take care of the girlfriend, something Gaara would no doubt learn in time.

He opened the door to the bedroom carefully. It was always wise to take precautions with the Sand Princess. She often operated with a 'slay first, forget questions later' philosophy.

She was sitting on the edge of the bed, her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking.

"Shit," he said, stumbling to fall on his knees in front of her, "Temari, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have laughed -."

He grabbed her shoulders and angled his head down to get a better view.

"Oh, kami," gasped Temari, tears streaming down her face, "did you ever hear a more ridiculous story? I had to get out of there before I lost it!"

He sat back on his haunches and grinned.

If there was one thing he loved about this girl, and actually there were many, it was her sense of humor.

"Oh, dear," sighed Temari, wiping her eyes, "poor Gaara. What an idiot…"

She stood up briskly, stepping around Shikamaru to the bathroom, "I better get going."

"Hunh?" said Shikamaru, "what about your brother?"

"I think I'm going to take your advice and let him figure it out," she said, a wicked grin lighting her face. "Or you could do it?"

_Yeah, right._

He heard the shower turn on and sighed. Whatever Temari was planning for the rest of the evening, it didn't seem to involve him or his king-sized bed.

He sighed again, bowing to the inevitable.

Five minutes later, he stepped out of the bedroom dressed in jeans, tee-shirt and a leather jacket, his hair yanked back with a rubber band.

"Come on," he said to Gaara, who was standing rather forlornly in the room holding another of Shikamaru's dress shirts in his hands. Tea stains decorated the front.

He waved the Kazekage towards the door, grabbing the shirt and flinging it back on the sofa.

Damn. He really needed to get a better system going on laundry day. That was two shirts down for the count.

"Where are we going?" asked Gaara, with just that perfect schmoe kind of whine.

The bubble started up again.

"To get drunk," said Shikamaru, pushing Gaara in front of him and down the apartment hallway to the stairwell.

"What about Temari?" said Gaara, turning a little in protest.

Honestly, hadn't the schmoe had enough of girls for a while?

"Temari has other plans," said Shikamaru.

"But-," said Gaara, planting his feet on the bottom landing.

"Listen," said Shikamaru, "Temari's mad at you. The Hokage's mad at you. Hinata's mad at you. Pretty much every woman in Konoha is going to be mad at you when this story gets out." Gaara's eyes widened in alarm. "Trust me, you don't want to be sober for what's coming next."

"But-," said Gaara.

Shikamaru shoved him out the front door of the apartment building and down the street towards the Akimichi compound.

"Time to get some guys on your side," said Shikamaru, pushing Gaara behind him as he pounded on Chouji and Ino's door.

Ino probably hadn't heard yet about the incident, although she might have. Her ability to discover high quality gossip almost before it happened was legendary. And downright frightening. Ino also had a similar philosophy to Temari's when it came to immediate responses. If she saw Gaara, there was no telling what she'd do.

As the door swung open on Chouji's friendly face, Shikamaru paused to reflect for a moment on the very uncharacteristic amount of energy he was expending on behalf of his girl-friend's brother.

And about the pleasant ways she could pay him back.

* * *

Shikamaru was going all out.

Temari fluffed her hair under the blow dryer and grinned.

Oh, the boy would certainly get rewarded well for his extra efforts.

He'd have to wait, though.

Temari had other plans tonight.

She paused in her application of some mascara and grinned at herself in the mirror.

Lord, she wished she'd been there!

She loved her brother dearly, but he could be a pain in the ass. All that cool rational 'I'm the Kazekage' crap. If he wasn't so sincere about doing the right thing, she'd really find it hard to put up with him.

And now he'd really screwed up royally.

The kid was lucky it was Hinata he'd 'forgiven'. If it had been Sakura, there wouldn't be enough sand in the world to save him from a pretty nasty bruise.

She snickered, imagining that scene.

She shimmied into a tight little dress that was a favorite going out number. It had a demure front and a plunging back. She shrugged on one of Shikamaru's jackets, and slipped into a pair of killer shoes and headed out the door, ready to show the Konoha men what girl power really meant.

It didn't take long to find out where Hinata had landed. A little brand of her special feminine wiles, a mixture of sultriness and intimidation, worked brilliantly with the chunin at the Shinobi check-in booth. Heading over towards the Women's Dormitory would take her right by the Yamanaka flower shop. Ino probably already had heard and would be raring to go. Temari walked briskly over to the shop and stepped inside.

The moist scented air of the flower shop enveloped her and she closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. She loved coming in here, although she didn't do it often enough. There was something so fascinating about all the different flowers glowing like jewels in the glass fronted cases.

She could hear Ino in the back, talking loudly.

"Can you believe it?" Ino said, stepping through the shadowed doorway of the workroom into the shop, "I know! I'll meet you in five. Gotta go."

She snapped her cell phone shut and looked up.

"Hello. I'm sorry but the shop is closing – Temari!" said Ino, her eyes brightening.

"Guess you heard," said Temari, smiling.

"Yeah, and don't take this the wrong way, but – is your brother stupid, or what?" said Ino, slipping off her work apron and hanging it on a hook by the counter.

"Stupid, moronic, clueless, yep, that's my little brother," said Temari. "I'm going over to Hinata's. Wanna come?"

"You already found out where she is?" said Ino, raising her eyebrows in surprise. She flipped off the shop lights and ushered Temari out the door, turning the 'closed' sign before shutting and locking it. "What's your plan?"

"Take the girl out for some congratulatory drinks. What's yours?" said Temari. The two fell into step as they headed toward the Hokage tower.

"I like how you think! My plan was to get Sakura and Tenten, find Hinata and beat the crap out of Gaara, and _then_ go out for some congratulatory drinks." said Ino cheerfully.

"Hmm. Well, I'd have to object to the crap-beating part, on principle, of course," said Temari.

"Of course," said Ino, "Sakura and Tenten are meeting me at the park. Do you mind if they join us?"

"Not at all. The more the merrier," said Temari.

They reached the park quickly and found the other girls who were excitedly talking together. They both stopped and looked warily at Temari.

"Yes, I know," said Temari, "the idiot is my brother. Don't hold it against me. Okay, so who wants to go make sure Hinata hasn't curled up into a little ball of remorse?"

The other girls raised their hands, looking eager.

Temari led the way to the Women's Dormitory filling in the others with what little she knew.

They headed up the stairs to Hinata's room ignoring the speculative looks of the people in the lobby.

Sakura knocked on Hinata's door.

"Open up, Hinata," she shouted.

Temari heard some scuffling inside, then silence.

"Come on, Hinata," said Sakura, more softly, "It's just us."

There came the sound of a lock turning and the door swung open.

Instead of the weeping girl Temari expected, Hinata stood in the doorway, a broom in her hands and a scowl on her face.

"What do you want?" said Hinata, fiercely, "If you've come to t-talk me into seeing Gaara or my family you can forget it!"

Temari grinned.

"Good girl," she said, "I was afraid I'd find you all ready to make things better."

"Why should I?" said Hinata belligerently, "You wouldn't."

"You're right," said Temari, "Now let us in so we can get ready to party."

"Party?" said Hinata, startled, letting herself get pushed aside as the other girls walked in, "I can't p-party. I don't have any money. I don't have any clothes and I'm not in the mood -."

"Mood, shmood," said Ino, "This is a big day for you, my little Hina-chan! Time to celebrate. We'll take care of everything."

"But -," said Hinata.

"Hinata, my love," said Temari, putting her arm around the smaller girl, "we are getting dolled up and show the men of Konoha just how strong kunoichi are."

"Yeah," said Tenten, "You're our new poster child for the awesomeness that is womanhood. You can't wimp out now."

Hinata looked at Temari and Tenten with a frown. Her face slowly cleared and she smiled.

"Did I tell you girls what the Hokage said to Gaara?" said Temari in a gloating voice.

The squealing laughter at her brother's expense more than made up for a night without Shikamaru. Besides, she'd have to pay him back in so many ways later.

And wasn't that going to be fun?

Temari grinned more widely and hustled Hinata into the shower while Ino raced off with Sakura to get some clothes.

Oh, yes, a lot of fun.

* * *

_**A/N: I was wondering why the heck I was having so much trouble writing this chapter. I kept working on it and it just wouldn't end. Then it occurred to me that maybe it was getting a little too long to be one chapter – sure enough, I'd already written 7500+ words. Needless to say, I've decided to post the part that was finished and will start a new chapter with the next section. **_

_**Anyway, hope you like this. Please let me know.**_

_**M.**_

_**P.S. The title of the chapter comes from this quote:**_

'There will be little rubs and disappointments everywhere, and we are all apt to expect too much; but then, if one scheme of happiness fails, human nature turns to another; if the first calculation is wrong, we make a second better: we find comfort somewhere.'

**Jane Austen**, _Mansfield Park_  
_English novelist (1775 - 1817)_


	18. Chapter 18

_**A/N: No ownership of Naruto**_

* * *

Chapter 18: Natural Phenomenon

"You know," said Gaara glumly, "this is all your fault."

"_My _fault?" said Naruto loudly, "_I'm_ not the one who screwed the pooch!"

Gaara took a deep drink from the glass of beer Naruto had obligingly poured for him.

"If you hadn't told me about you and Hinata, I would never have gotten mad," he said, wiping the foam off his lip with one careless wrist.

"You moron," snorted Naruto, "Get it through your thick head! There never was a 'me and Hinata'."

"Quit calling me a moron," said Gaara, "Everyone keeps calling me that. I don't like it."

Naruto grinned widely.

"Damn," he said, "I wished I'd been there when Granny lit into you! Moron."

Gaara stared at him coldly.

At least he hoped he was staring coldly.

His eyesight was a little bleary.

Shikamaru and Chouji walked up to the table carrying more pitchers of beer.

Gaara lunged for one of the pitchers and pulled it close. He had never realized before how friendly beer was, how cool and comforting. The bitter taste of hops and the refreshing bubbles seemed to match his mood. He filled his glass and emptied it watching the trail of foam slide down the inside of the glass. He filled it again.

"We ordered some food," said Chouji, sitting in the booth next to Naruto.

Shikamaru wedged himself next to Chouji.

Gaara looked at the three men opposite him.

The three men stared back.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" said Gaara stiffly.

"We're waiting," said Shikamaru, pouring himself a glass.

"Yeah, waiting," said Chouji.

"We are?" said Naruto, looking at the Shikamaru and Chouji in puzzlement, "Oh! Yeah! We're waiting."

"For what?" asked Gaara, annoyed.

"Reinforcements," said Shikamaru.

"Yeah, reinforcements," said Chouji, his eyes brightening as platters of tempura arrived.

Naruto leaned upward, waving wildly.

"Hey!" he shouted, "Over here!"

Gaara suppressed the urge to turn around. He drank more beer instead.

"Well, well, well," said a sharp sarcastic voice, "If it isn't the Moron of the Month. Move over, Sand Lot."

Kiba slid onto the seat next to Gaara, followed by Lee. Shino, Sai and Neji made up the last of the party, pulling over chairs and joining the group quietly.

"Quit calling me moron," said Gaara flatly, squeezing himself into the corner.

He reflected for a moment on the many changes in his life since first writing to Hinata. The least of which was being crammed into a booth in a seedy jounin bar with a lot of other young men. He should probably extract himself from this situation and go brood somewhere, but, frankly, he didn't want to.

He was tired of being alone with his spinning thoughts.

Besides, he liked it where he was. Their booth was an extra wide one located towards the back of the bar, deep in the shadows. Other drinkers sat around, talking and laughing. Unremarkable music thrummed from a sound system in the background. He felt embraced by a male camaraderie he'd never felt except with Kankuro and Baki. He was part of a greater universal group. A man with woman problems.

"So, Moron," said Kiba, after gulping down a huge draught of beer, "How does it feel to be the Stupidest Man in the Five Ninja Nations?"

"Now, now," said Lee, brightly, "There is no need to resort to name-calling. I'm sure Gaara-san is making plans as we speak to correct his fatal blunder. Surely, no man worthy of the name would have said something so lacking in understanding of the feminine mind without realizing immediately that he would need to placate the object of his affection with suitable offerings of a conciliatory nature."

Everyone blinked at Lee and took a moment to parse his comments into more recognizable terms.

Lee turned to the waitress approaching while they processed and smiled.

"Oh, Miss!" he said, "Could I please have some-"

"Lee-san," said the waitress swiftly, blanching, "You know we can't serve you alcohol! The last time you were here you broke the bar-tender's nose and it took an entire ANBU squad and the Copy-Ninja to remove you!"

Lee hung his head in remorse.

"Ah, yes," he said, sadly, "My Drunken Fist-style is almost flawless in execution. If only I could master the jutsu without resorting to alcoholic beverages I would be a happy man." He sighed heavily. "No, Miss, I do not desire a drink of that nature. Could I please have some fruit juice?"

The waitress looked relieved and hurried off to fill his order.

"I don't understand," said Gaara morosely, returning to the matter at hand, "I told her I forgave her. Why was she upset?"

Naruto smacked his forehead with his palm. Kiba snickered. Shikamaru snorted and shook his head. Lee stared at Gaara, his eyes popping with concern. Neji and Shino looked at him coldly. The only members of the party who seemed unaffected by his comments were Chouji and Sai, largely because of their current occupations. Chouji was rapidly emptying the basket of tempura, his jaws working with machine like precision to break the food down, while Sai was busy making sketches of the scene.

"I thought it was the right thing to do," said Gaara, warming to his subject, "I have heard that forgiveness can solve relationship problems."

"I have read several books on the subject," said Sai, his pencil paused mid-air, "And he is right. The literature supports the act of forgiveness, pointing to the need to 'let go' of negative feelings towards a person in order to recover feelings of joy or pleasure."

"Two morons," muttered Shikamaru, topping up his glass.

"Shut up, Sai," said Naruto, "you're the last person to give relationship advice."

Sai cocked his head to one side, studying Naruto calmly.

"True," he said, "I bow to your greater experience, Dickless." He returned to his drawing ignoring Naruto's growls.

"The question to ask," said Shino, his deep voice instantly silencing the others, "is what do you think Hinata did that deserves forgiveness?"

"Yeah!" said Kiba, turning on the Sand jounin and slitting his eyes menacingly, "Hinata never did anything to hurt you! She's been killing herself this past month worrying about you, you dip-shit." The dog-nin's eyes started to glow with feral passion.

"Kiba," said Shino repressively. Kiba shot a fulminating glance at his teammate and sat back a little.

"As Kiba pointed out," said Shino, "Hinata did nothing to require your forgiveness."

All eyes bored into the young Kazekage. He shifted in his seat.

"It's just that," he started, "I couldn't -. All I could think about was her and Naruto!" The words came out in a rush and he found himself glaring at Naruto again, imagining Hinata in the blonde's arms, returning his kisses, breathing his name.

"Ah!" said Lee wisely, sipping his fruit juice. He pulled the pink paper umbrella out of the mouth of the glass and twirled it in his fingers. "Jealousy is a powerful emotion. Especially when a young man, burgeoning with the power of youth, envisions his rival passionately embracing the flowering bud of his desire."

"I'll thank you not to speak of my cousin like that, Lee," said Neji coldly.

"What do you mean passionately embracing?" shouted Naruto, "There never was any passionate embracing goin' on with Hinata!"

"Burgeoning? When did he burgeon? He better not have burgeoned Hinata!" growled Kiba, glaring again at the Kazekage who was glaring at Naruto.

"Kiba," said Shino again. Kiba settled down. "What Lee says has merit. Gaara-san has allowed his imagination to create a role for Hinata that she did not fulfill. Therefore, forgiving her is not only absurd, it is insulting."

"Hunh?" said Kiba.

"Whaddya say? Whaddya say he said?" said Naruto.

It took Gaara a moment, undoubtedly because of the impairment inflicted on his usually sharp mind by the liberal application of large quantities of lager, but he finally understood what everyone had been telling him.

"Hinata is not in love with you," he said to Naruto.

"Right! Finally!" said Naruto, pumping his arm in the air.

"You are not in love with her," said Gaara.

"No! I mean, she's great and everything, but I love Sakura. I've always loved Sakura," said Naruto, his wide blue eyes swimming in tears. "Hell, you _know_ I love Sakura. You were at the betrothal party, baka!"

"And when you told me about Hinata's 'monster crush' on you, you didn't mean that you and she – that you – that she – kissed or – anything-."

"What? No! We never!" Naruto looked at his friend in horror, "No wonder you were crazy!"

"So, I should not have forgiven her," said Gaara, staring deep into the bottom of his glass, "I should have asked her for forgiveness."

"Now we're getting somewhere," Shikamaru murmured to Chouji.

"Mm-hmm," said Chouji.

"Oh, kami," groaned Gaara, "I _am _a moron."

Kiba patted him sympathetically on the back.

"Don't worry," he said, "it happens to all of us. I live in a house of women and, believe me, I'm _always_ wrong."

"Yes, Gaara-san," said Lee seriously, "Gai-sensei has always told me that, though frequently incomprehensible, women are to be cherished, even if it means admitting to a failure you may not possess."

"Hunh?" said Naruto, wrinkling his brow.

"In other words," said Shino calmly, "When there is a misunderstanding it is always best to apologize."

"But what if you're not wrong?" said Naruto, "You mean just apologize for everything?"

"So what if you're not wrong?" said Shikamaru, "It won't matter. 'Cause the make-up sex is worth it."

"Mm-hmm," said Chouji, a huge grin breaking out on his face.

"Ooohhh," said Naruto, "make-up sex!"

All the men spent a few moments in contemplation of the concept.

Gaara drained his glass and poured himself another beer.

"That's if she'll let me apologize," he said, sadly, draining his glass again. He let out a pathetic belch.

"While I don't really want to think about you and Hinata making-up," said Neji, "I'm pretty sure Hinata will accept your apology."

"Yeah," said Kiba, patting Gaara again, "she's totally into you, man. I can tell."

"You can?" said Gaara, hope and another belch rising in his chest.

"Oh, yeah, totally," said Kiba.

"There is one possible problem," said Neji.

All eyes turned to him.

"You said that you and Hyuuga-sama had spoken about betrothal contracts, yes?"

"Yes," said Gaara brightening, "I forgot about that!"

"That's not a good thing," said Neji sternly, "not to Hinata anyway."

"What?" said Gaara, aghast, "Why not? If her father is in favor of me as a suitor, wouldn't Hinata be as well?"

"Wait," said Naruto, "you told Hinata that you had a contract with her father already?"

"Yes," said Gaara, turning to his friend and looking at him earnestly, "after I forgave her."

Everyone winced.

"But," said Neji, determined to drive his point home, "you did not ask Hinata if she wanted to marry you first."

"Of course not," said Gaara, looking around in bewilderment at the horrified faces of his companions.

"Well, shit," said Kiba, scooting away and almost pushing Lee off the bench.

"I don't understand," said Sai coolly, "isn't it proper etiquette to ask for a woman's hand before an official betrothal?"

Gaara nodded in agreement. He'd never noticed before but Sai was a very compatible person. Much easier to get along with than Uchiha Sasuke.

"Exactly," said Gaara, "After the party Hyuuga-sama asked to meet with me to begin negotiations for a betrothal contract."

"Which you didn't mention to Hinata," said Shino darkly.

"No, of course not," said Gaara.

"You are so totally screwed," said Naruto sadly. He topped Gaara's glass up and helped himself. "Face it, man. You ain't got a chance."

Gaara opened his eyes in shock. He looked around at the other men who were all shaking their heads in fatalistic resignation.

"What do you mean?" he said, "You just said she was into me. Right? Didn't you just say that?" He turned to Kiba for confirmation.

"That was before-," Kiba shook his head again and took a long drink, "Listen, Sand Lot, you should have asked Hinata first, let her know that you love her." He paused and stared at Gaara fixedly. "You do love her, right?"

"I-," Gaara looked around at the others, his heart squeezing painfully, "I don't really know. I haven't had much – any - experience – everything I know about love - has hurt – betrayed -."

He stopped and breathed deeply a couple of times.

Did he love her?

He couldn't stop thinking about her. From the moment she'd piqued his interest at the dinner so many months ago, she'd been lodged in his mind. Her beauty, her sweetness, her gentle kindness. He'd come to admire her strength and her generosity, her wit and clear vision. He could feel her in his arms, his lips hot on her skin and the thought that someone else would hold her close filled him with rage. She was his, only his. As he was hers.

"I think I do," he said slowly, quietly.

The others nodded and the table fell quiet as each man drank deeply.

Naruto looked earnestly at his friend.

"You know, Gaara," he said, "I think if you tell Hinata how you feel, she'll understand."

"I agree," said Lee, "revealing your innermost thoughts and feelings to the tender blossom for whom you yearn may mollify her anger and assist in facilitating a reconciliation that will bloom in greater understanding and affection."

"Yeah, what he said," said Kiba.

"That, and a lot of groveling," said Shikamaru.

"A lot!" said Chouji.

"Groveling?" said Gaara, bewildered. Groveling was not something he'd ever considered.

"And gifts," said Naruto, nodding his head thoughtfully, "Really good gifts."

"Gifts," Gaara frowned. What kind of gifts should he get? This was all much more complicated than he'd thought.

The door to the bar opened and a wave of fresh air pushed through the murky funk of alcohol and depression. A group of giggling women entered and stood on the spot-lit landing of the stairway leading down to the bar.

"Uh-oh," said Shikamaru, nudging Chouji and cocking his head towards the door.

Chouji slowed his chewing down enough to look. His mouth ceased its action and his eyes widened.

"Mm-hmm," he said. The two old friends shared a look.

Neji and Shino caught the glance and looked up.

"Well," said Neji, "this could get interesting."

"Hmmm," said Shino.

"Here is your chance to put your theory to the test," said Sai, pointing his pencil at the group of girls, "Isn't that Hinata there?"

Gaara looked up quickly, blinking. His heart rose at the sight.

Temari, Ino, Tenten, Sakura, all the girls looked down at him.

Except for one. Hinata.

She looked pointedly away.

His heart fell again.

_Well, shit_.

* * *

_**A/N: Once again, things are getting away from me. I'm working on the next section with Hinata and the girls, but it's just getting too long. I thought I'd better post this now, before I changed my mind too much.**_

_**Also, I'm working on several life projects and may be a little late posting the next couple of chapters. Please be patient with me. **_

_**Let me know what you think of this bit.**_

_**Oh, yes. The chapter title comes from this quote:**_

If sex is such a natural phenomenon, how come there are so many books on how to?

**Bette Midler**  
_US actress, comedienne, & singer (1945 - )_

_**Märchen Freunde**_


	19. Chapter 19

_**A/N: Naruto is the property of Masashi Kishimoto. **_

* * *

Chapter Nineteen: Not Just a Plaything

"Perfect," said Ino smugly.

Hinata took one glance down into the poorly lit room and stumbled back. It had taken only a moment but she'd seen Gaara sitting in a booth, his aqua eyes turned up in surprise. Her stomach swooped down and she felt light-headed.

"I can't -," she said as her companions shoved her forward.

"Oh, yes, you can," said Temari sternly, "You are going down there, drink and dance like the wild woman we know you can be, flirt with a lot of men and make Gaara come crawling to you on his knees."

"I am?" said Hinata, her mind boggling at the picture of Gaara on his knees before her. Actually, once her mind steadied, it was a picture that was quite compelling. Her cheeks grew a little warm.

"Remember? Awesomeness that is womanhood?" said Tenten, holding Hinata's arm as they started down the stairs.

The girls hustled their more timid friend over to a high table near the dance floor.

Ino looked around speculatively. She glanced at Temari and lifted an eyebrow.

"This should do, don't you think, Temi-chan?" she asked, wiggling onto a bar stool.

Hinata looked at the setting with alarm. The table was right in the center of the room, high-lighted from above. Everyone in the room would have an unobstructed view of the girls sitting there.

"I don't think -," said Hinata. Tenten and Sakura practically lifted her onto the center stool which happened to be facing the booth Gaara was sitting at.

"Shush, Hina-chan," said Temari, "Time to live up to your potential. You're going to show Gaara just what a desirable woman you are. Get him jealous."

"J-jealous!" said Hinata, alarmed, "Isn't that what caused all the problems in the first place?"

"Yeah," said Sakura, "He was jealous, but it wasn't real. It was all in his head. He needs to see the real you. Not some fantasy he made up."

_The real me._

And wasn't that the crux of the matter for her? Despite her letters, despite the precious time they'd spent together, he hadn't really seen _her. _She was an extension of his rivalry with Naruto, an object to be traded for with her father.

He hadn't seen her, her father hadn't seen her, Naruto hadn't seen her. There was a long list of people who didn't see her.

Well, the days of invisibility were over.

Anger rose in her, hot and invigorating.

She tossed her long hair back over her shoulder and put up her chin.

"Now that's the Hinata we've all come to love," said Temari, her voice warm with approval.

"I'll get us some drinks," said Tenten, strolling over to the bar.

"Will you look at them?" said Sakura, glaring over at the table of men, "they're already totally wasted. I knew it was a mistake to let Naruto look for Gaara before I left."

"What are you worried about?" sniffed Ino, "You know Naruto can hold his liquor better than anyone in Konoha. Now, will you look at Chouji? I told him not to eat too much fried food!"

"Please," said Tenten, sauntering over to the table, "Why are you watching those fools? The point is for them to watch us, right?"

The waitress followed her with a tray and some drinks.

Hinata sipped carefully at her plum wine and soda, studiously avoiding looking over at the table of young men. She sat up straight on her stool and took another sip. This was the new and improved Hinata. A woman who was not overlooked. A woman who mattered.

"Alright, Hinata," said Ino with a businesslike air, "let's make plans. How long do you want to make Gaara suffer?"

"Well," said Hinata hesitantly, "I hadn't really thought about it."

"Hmmm," said Ino, "Here's what I think. He needs to grovel. Grovel like a dog."

"I don't think-," Hinata said, raising her eyebrows. Honestly, it was even more difficult to imagine Gaara groveling than it was on his knees.

Ino nodded her head vehemently.

"Like a dog," she repeated. "Chouji always takes me out to dinner and buys me some jewelry. I've gotten some very nice pieces, I can tell you. Look at these."

She lifted one of her earrings as an illustration.

All the girls looked closely, suitably impressed.

"Oh, yeah," said Temari, "Shikamaru has given me some nice gifts, I have to say."

"Really?" said Hinata, surprised.

"So has Neji," Tenten offered.

"Neji? My cousin, Neji?" said Hinata. The thought of Neji groveling was even more impossible to imagine.

"Oh, yeah," said Sakura with satisfaction. "You'd be surprised what lengths a boy will go to just for a little make-up sex."

The girls grinned at Hinata.

"Make-up-," Hinata could feel her face get hot.

"Sex. Yep," said Temari, "it's a great motivator, let me tell you."

"But," said Hinata faintly, "we haven't – I mean – there hasn't been – uh -."

"Oh, Hinata," said Ino, "you are so adorably virgin, it's just too cute."

Hinata blinked. Was that an insult or a compliment?

"Gaara, too," said Temari, sniggering, "It's all new to him."

"Really?" said Tenten, looking over at the men's table speculatively. "He's pretty hot. Are you sure he hasn't gotten it on with some of his fan-girls?"

Hinata forced herself not to look over at Gaara accusingly.

The thought of him getting it on with someone – well, it wasn't a thought she enjoyed. She gritted her teeth.

Temari snorted.

"I know he hasn't," she said. She patted Hinata's hand. "Down, girl. He's just as chaste as you are. A real prude. That's why this is so funny."

"I don't think it's funny," said Hinata, sharply.

Temari had the grace to look a little ashamed.

"Sorry, Hinata," she said, "I know you've had a hard time. You both have. It's just so great to see Gaara at a loss. He's always been in control, afraid of letting go of his emotions. He was really messed up before, you know? I'm happy that he's finally loosened up enough to fall in love with someone."

"Do you -," said Hinata, staring at Temari, "do you th-think he's really - in l-love - with me?"

All the girls turned and looked at her in surprise.

Ino was the first to respond, throwing her arm around Hinata's shoulders.

"Oh, sweetie, of course he is," she said, "Did you think he wasn't? The guy is crazy for you."

"I didn't know," whispered Hinata, "I thought – I thought he liked me a lot, maybe could grow to love me –."

"Hinata," said Temari, firmly, "I can tell you without the shadow of a doubt that he is hopelessly in love with you. Now, how do you feel about him?"

"Oh," said Hinata, her voice warming, "I think he's very intelligent and brave. And he puts everyone first. He works so hard for his village. And he feels things very deeply, even though he doesn't show it -."

"And he's pretty cute," said Tenten, nudging Sakura.

"He's _gorgeous_," said Hinata, "His hair and his eyes are so – and he's strong – and smells so good -."

"Man, you got it bad, little girl," said Ino, laughing and hugging her.

"I'm so glad, Hinata," said Sakura, her wide green eyes filling with tears.

"So," said Ino, "back to my original question. How long are you going to make him suffer?"

"Oh," said Hinata, stricken, "maybe I should let him talk to me -."

"No way!" said Tenten, "he totally screwed with you. You are not wimping out now. You need to wait and see what he comes up with to get you back."

"Really?" said Hinata. All the girls nodded earnestly.

"Absolutely," said Ino, "otherwise you'll never get respect. Believe me."

"Well, he did hurt me," said Hinata.

"Hell, yes!" said Temari, "The rat."

"And then had the gall to 'forgive me'!" said Hinata, finishing her drink.

Tenten waved to the waitress for another round.

"That's right!" said Sakura, "Moron!"

"And he talked to my father about wedding plans without even asking me if I wanted to get married!"

"Idiot!" said Tenten.

"So, I guess," said Hinata, smiling mischievously, "I guess I'll let him suffer for at least a day or two."

"Oh, yeah," said Ino, toasting Hinata with her glass, "that's my girl!"

"My, my, ladies," said a smooth deep voice behind them, "don't you look fine tonight."

Hinata could feel warmth along her spine. The man wasn't actually touching her, but he was coming pretty damn close.

She looked over her shoulder and recognized Shiranui Genma, his teeth clenched around a bamboo skewer.

"Hey, Genma-san," said Tenten, "how's it going?"

"Can't complain, can't complain," said the older man, a glint in his dark brown eyes, "thought I'd come over and say hello." He moved from behind Hinata and pushed his way between her and Ino, leaning on his forearms on the table. He turned to Hinata and smiled, "So, hello."

Hinata took another sip of her drink, her stomach fluttering.

Neji had warned her about the jounin a long time ago. He was notorious for working his way through all the available, and some not so available, women in Konoha. Apparently, he was setting his sights on her. He had never made a move on her before, although she had watched him circle around her friends plenty of times.

Did this mean she was finally on the list of available women?

And why hadn't she been on it before?

"Hello," she said, sitting up, suddenly glad she'd let Ino talk her into wearing the snug lavender sweater set.

The girls grinned.

Genma leaned a little closer and smiled his crooked and very charming smile.

"Now, why haven't I seen you before?" he said, brushing his hip against hers.

"Oh, you have," said Hinata, her head to one side

"Really?" Genma's eyes traveled up her body, lingering a long time on her bosom. "I'm sure I would have -."

He stepped back a little when his eyes reached her face.

"Hinata? Hyuuga Hinata?" he said, surprised.

"The one and only," she said, taking a deep gulp of her drink.

She should not be hurt that he had not recognized her, but she was. Had she really stayed in the shadows so much that a notorious womanizer like Genma hadn't even seen her?

Genma looked around the room carefully.

"So the rumors are true?" he said.

"W-what rumors?" said Hinata, very aware that the other girls were listening closely.

"Rumors that you've moved out on your own," he said, a little more warmly. "So, if I talk with you, your cousin or the Kazekage are not going to lay me out like a salted cod?"

Hinata looked over at the table of men.

All eyes were trained on her.

Shikamaru and Chouji's jaws gaped. Naruto was grinning like a fool. Kiba and Lee were both giving her the thumbs up, while Shino simply nodded his head. Sai was studying her with clinical interest, sketching quickly. Neji's eyes were narrowed dangerously and his chair was half turned around as if he was about to get up.

But of most interest to her was Gaara's reaction.

Gaara was standing awkwardly, leaning over the table, his eyes burning.

Hinata tossed her head.

"Would you like to dance, Genma-san?" she said, defiantly.

Genma glanced over at the table and chuckled ruefully.

"Am I in danger, if I do?" he asked, slipping his arm around her waist and lifting her off the bar-stool effortlessly.

"I hope not," she said, a little guiltily, "Perhaps you better not-."

"Now, now, Kitten," said Genma, stepping onto the dance floor, "Don't pull in your claws just yet. I don't mind helping you spice up things a little, especially after I heard the sorry way you've been treated."

Hinata blushed and looked down at her feet.

Genma lifted a hand and pushed her chin up.

"Now," he said, "if the goal is to make your man come running, you need to show him what he stands to lose. And if he doesn't come running, then he's a fool and you're better off without him."

He ran his hands caressingly up her arms, drawing them up around his neck and put his own around her waist, pulling her very close.

Hinata gulped.

"Which would be very good for me," said Genma, his voice low, "You know, Hinata-chan, you've grown into quite a lovely young woman."

"R-really?" said Hinata breathlessly.

Genma was a big man, broad in the shoulders and heavily muscled. His fingers pressed into her back and one hip, guiding her around the floor with practiced assurance. He grinned at her with a cocky air of confidence that was very attractive.

"Oh, yes," said Genma, "By the way, your man is looking like he's about to kill me."

"He is?" said Hinata, her heart skipping a beat.

"So, let's put on a good show, alright?" he said, lifting his eyebrows and looking playful.

Without waiting for a reply, he bent his head and nuzzled her neck, his hand splaying lower on her hip.

Hinata gasped and a shiver went down her spine.

She could hear him chuckle in her ear, his breath warm on her cheek.

She could also hear a crash and some shouts coming from the area where Gaara had been sitting.

Her heart started pounding.

"Get your filthy hands off her, you pervert!" Gaara's voice was cold and gritty with barely suppressed rage.

She peeked around Genma's arm and could see Gaara standing in the center of the dance floor, Neji close behind him. Gaara's face was livid with fury.

Genma turned lazily, holding Hinata firmly.

"The lady asked for a dance," he said, grinning, "and I love to oblige the ladies."

"I told you to get your hands off her," said Gaara, pushing Genma's shoulder.

"Now why would I do that?" said Genma genially, "As far as I can tell, she isn't here with you."

"Hinata!" said Gaara, grabbing her arm and pulling her away from Genma, "Step away from that man!"

"Oh, I don't think so," said Genma, gripping her more firmly.

Gaara shoved Genma in the shoulder again, yanking on her arm painfully.

Anger rose in Hinata again, hot and tart.

She pushed against Genma and he let go of her with a chuckle. She turned on Gaara with her eyes narrowed and poked him in the chest, disturbingly pleased to see him wince.

"How dare you!" she said, "How dare you order me around! How dare you pull at me like I'm some dog on a leash! Who do you think you are?"

He stepped back, dropping her arm.

"Hinata, I didn't mean – please, listen to me -," he said, his eyes wide.

"You seem to think you can order me around! You think you own me, is that it?" She advanced on him, driving him back with the point of her very sharp finger.

"No, Hinata, I-," said Gaara.

"I'm so tired of everyone telling me what to do!" shouted Hinata, glaring around the room. Everyone backed up. "I'm so tired of being the one everyone thinks is incapable of thinking for herself!"

"Hinata, I shouldn't have -," said Gaara, his face white.

"Do you know what, Gaara?" she hissed, stepping close and staring up at him, "why don't you try asking? Is that too difficult for you to do? Acknowledge me? See me? Hmm? Try that, for a change!"

She turned away and stepped to the table, slinging down the last of her drink with a flourish.

"Come on, girls," she said, "Let's get out of here. I don't like the company."

She swept up the stairs, the others stumbling and giggling behind her.

She could just hear Naruto say sadly, "Man, we _told_ you to grovel, baka."

* * *

_**A/N: Well, I've certainly put Gaara through the wringer, don't you think? Poor lad. But am I ready to let up on the naïve young man? Oh, heavens, not by a long shot!**_

_**The title if from an Aretha Franklin song titled 'Do Right Woman – Do Right Man'. It's a great song. Check it out on youtube. **_

_**As mentioned before I'm working on som e other projects, but will try to post regularly. It helps keep me sane! **_

_**Anyway, let me know what you think of this chapter, please!**_

_**Märchen**_


	20. Chapter 20

_**A/N: I do not own Naruto**_

* * *

Chapter 20: Hear My Heartbeat

She was a tough old broad, Inuzuka Tsume, her skin deeply wrinkled from being outdoors and her hair rough and wild as the pelt of a wolf. But her figure was trim and athletic and she had a no-nonsense air about her that Kankuro liked immediately.

"So you're that Sand whelp Hana's been talkin' about," she said, circling Kankuro and sniffing deeply.

Kankuro had the feeling that if he made a sudden move, she might snap his hand off with her very sharp and shiny teeth.

"He's not too bright," said Kuromaru from a comfortable spot under the kotatsu, "But he smells alright."

"Hmm," said Tsume, "What's with the pussy ears?" She stared at his Bunraku hood, lifting an eye-brow. "And the make-up? You in the theatre?"

Kankuro, who had fielded these questions many times, just stood still.

"He's a puppet master, Ma," said Hana, grinning at Kankuro.

"Puppets, hunh?" said Tsume with a sniff. She shrugged and turned back to the kitchen, "Do you like mizore nabe?"

"Uh-," said Kankuro.

"What did I tell you?" grumbled Kuromaru.

"Sure, uh, yeah," said Kankuro, shooting a nasty look at the grizzled hound, "I like it very much."

Kuromaru grinned doggy style, all teeth and a long pink tongue.

"Good," said Tsume, "Take a seat." She nodded her head towards the kotatsu.

Kankuro nodded and took a place opposite the nin-dog, pushing his feet under the thin futon and wiggling his toes in the warmth. He could hear Hana and Tsume moving about the kitchen, the sound of chopping and their voices, Hana's middle sweet tones and Tsume's lower harsher ones. The smell of cut onions and grated ginger filled the air and his stomach groaned in anticipation. His mouth filled with saliva and he gulped.

"Hungry, hunh?' said Kuromaro, peeking over the table.

"Starving," said Kankuro, wondering if it was really possible to feel comfortable talking to a dog.

Hana walked into the room with a tray and settled next to Kankuro. She pulled a small butane burner off the tray and lit it, setting a large earthen ware pot on the flame. She poured stock from a container into the pot and adjusted the heat. The aroma of dashi prompted another growl from Kankuro's stomach.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

Kami, he was so hungry that he was afraid he'd start chewing his own paw off.

Hana rubbed his back and chuckled.

"Poor guy," she murmured, "Ma's coming with the rest of it."

Tsume shuffled in carrying a tray piled with ingredients for the mizore nabe and quickly added everything into the pot.

Kankuro could hardly restrain himself from snatching the bowl from her hands when she filled it and passed it to him. It was agony to wait for her to serve Hana and herself.

"Itadakimasu," he growled and dove in, slurping hungrily.

Tsume gave a harsh bark of laughter.

"Well, I like a man with a healthy appetite," she said, digging into her own bowl.

Kankuro ate with a steady concentration that defied conversation.

He was grateful that Hana and Tsume didn't need to bug him with table talk. The women ate more slowly and discussed something that sounded medical. He didn't really pay attention. He was happy to be filling his belly, his legs warming pleasantly under the kotatsu. When he finished his second helping, he was tempted to lick the bowl out, like the dogs had done with their dinner dishes.

"Ready for soba?" asked Tsume, taking his dish from him and filling it up before he answered.

He scooped noodles into his mouth and closed his eyes in pleasure, letting out a huge sigh.

"Better?" said Hana.

"Much," he said, "that was delicious."

The same feeling of peace he'd experienced in the shed filled him. When had he ever done something like this? Sat in someone's home and had a home-cooked meal?

Wait. That would be –.

Never.

He didn't have friends as a child. Normal people tended to stay away from his family. His truest friends were his siblings and his sensei.

He turned his head to look at Hana and was struck by the sweetness in her eyes as she looked back at him, smiling warmly. He was overwhelmed suddenly by a wave of emotion so strong he thought he was going to pass out.

He put the bowl down hastily and braced his hands on the table, gasping for air.

"Looks like your boy's ready to collapse," said Tsume, an eyebrow raised in amusement.

Hana stood up from the table, leaning over to tug him gently by the arm.

"Come on," she said and he stood up awkwardly.

He bowed slightly to Tsume.

"Thank you," he mumbled, "for the meal."

"You're welcome, young whelp," said Tsume, "You can come for dinner anytime."

He nodded, unsure of what to say. The casual friendliness of her invitation frankly took him by surprise. Did she really mean it?

He hesitated, bowing to her again in confusion.

Kuromoru snorted.

"Come on," said Hana again, pulling him after her.

He stumbled a little, his usual grace abandoning him as she led him through the dark passages of the old house to a large old-fashioned bath room.

"I'll get you some of Kiba's clothes. You can bath and change here."

"Wait!" he said, grabbing her by the elbow, "Am I staying here?"

Not that he didn't want to. He wanted to quite a lot, really. And it wasn't just Hana's company, although she was the main attraction. There was something indefinably comfortable about this home.

"Where _were_ you going to stay?" she said, her eyes crinkling in amusement.

"At the Hyuuga – oh," he said.

_Well, hell._

It really would be awkward to show up at the Hyuuga mansion looking for a place to sleep after the earlier scene.

"Okay, thanks," he said, dropping her arm.

"Towels are over there. You can put your clothes in this basket. I'll wash them later." Hana grinned at his stupefied face and swiftly left the room.

He looked around the shadowy space appreciatively. Like the rest of the house, the room was constructed of wood, dark with age. The floor was wooden as well, with stone insets for the bathing areas. It seemed as organic as if it had been constructed out of the living forest, ancient and mysterious. The smell of cedar and sandalwood and heating water filled the air and he breathed in deeply. Steam hovered over the deep wooden bathing tub set over a stone hearth glowing with coals.

It was a restful place, serene and calm. Like Hana.

He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and his shoulders relaxed.

He quickly stripped off his clothes and sat on a wooden stool to wash, using a small bucket to pour water from a spigot over his head. He soaped up and used a hand towel to scrub himself thoroughly, pouring another bucket of water over himself. He sat down on the stool again and scrubbed his legs and feet.

It felt great to get the dirt of the road off finally.

He almost jumped out of his skin when he felt her hands and a soft loofah scrubbing his back.

Not that he hadn't shared a bath with a woman before, but this was different.

First, no money had exchanged hands.

Second, this was Hana and not some easy tea-house fan-girl.

And third, weren't her really scary mother and an enormous talking dog just down the corridor, probably ready to pounce on him to defend her honor at any moment?

"Relax," she said, and he could hear the smile in her voice.

Did she mean it? Or was she looking for more action than frankly he was able to provide at this moment?

He was confused and exhausted and aroused all at once. The fact that she was dressed in a simple yukata helped. The fact that all he had to protect his modesty was a small towel didn't.

"Relax," she said again, her voice soft and gentle.

He decided to take her advice and made his muscles slowly unclench.

She scrubbed his hair again for him and he almost purred like a cat at the sensations her strong fingers made in his scalp.

After several sluicings of warm water, she smacked him on the shoulder.

"Hunh?" he said, dreamily.

"Tub," she said, pointing, turning away as he stood up and walked over to the tub. He stepped into the hot water and submerged himself completely before leaning his head against the rim. He sighed deeply, closing his eyes in utter contentment.

Was there anything sweeter than lying in a hot tub of water?

"Oh. My. Kami. Sama," he groaned.

He could vaguely hear Hana moving about the room, straightening up, opening and closing doors. At one point he could smell the sharp scent of lavender fill the air and hear the gentle sound of water falling.

She didn't ask him to exert himself in anyway.

_I think I'm in love. Seriously._

* * *

Hana managed to wake Kankuro up enough to point him to the towels and clothing she'd laid out for him.

"When you're finished, come out into the hall. I'll show you where you can sleep."

She waited by the door to the bath, her back turned, listening to make sure he hadn't slipped under the water and drowned. Once she heard him stepping out, the water splashing around him, she let herself out of the room and closed the door.

She shook her head ruefully, laughing at herself.

What was it about this man that made her want to protect him, comfort him, take care of him?

Usually, when she was attracted to a guy, she'd let her interest be known and things would progress pretty quickly to a short interval of hot steamy sex followed by a speedy break up.

While she fully intended to progress to hot steamy sex with the Sand jounin, she didn't feel the need to rush things. Instead, she was biding her time, getting to know him, letting him get to know her.

Now, why was that?

He was physically exactly the kind of man she liked. Tall, with a broad chest and wide shoulders. Not too skinny but with a nice weight to him. Once the makeup was off, he had a great face; deep brown eyes and a wide, crooked smile.

He was attracted to her, too. It didn't take much to notice how his body had reacted to her when she scrubbed his back . The small towel he'd held carefully over his lap hadn't prevented her from getting a good eyeful. If he could respond like that half-asleep…well, imagine what could happen when he was fully rested.

A little shiver of anticipation ran through her at the thought.

Oh, yes, there would be some hot steaminess in the future. The very near future, if she had her way.

She was willing to wait, though.

There was something about this man that called to her inner self in a way that she'd never experienced before. Something she was not about to destroy by being hasty.

She had felt that same tug from the moment he'd pulled her onto the dance floor in his crazy maneuver to help his brother, and later, she'd felt it stronger on the journey to Suna. When he'd shown up at her gate, she'd been speechless at the sight of him, standing forlorn between the arching trees. It had touched her deeper than she could express, even to herself, that he had sought her out.

He fumbled at the door behind her and she could hear him cursing softly.

She slid the door open and smiled at him. He looked down at her, his eyes heavy with sleep. An answering smile softened his lips.

Without the purple face paint, his lips were full and soft, sensuous and beautiful.

She held her breath for a moment, fixed in place by a sharp longing to feel those lips pressed against hers.

She cleared her throat and took his hand, pulling him out into the hallway.

"Come on," she said, "Get to bed before you drop dead in my house. I'd hate to have to find a place to hide the body."

He shuffled after, obedient as a child, trusting her.

She led him to her room and pushed him toward her bed, a raised platform with a comfortable thick mattress.

He looked around and she could see him taking in the family pictures she had on her dresser and her clothes draped over a chair.

"Hana, this is your room," he said, "I shouldn't be -."

He pulled his hand away and stepped back. He looked at her, his face creased with concern.

"I like you," he said, roughly, "I think I like you more than -. This isn't a good idea, right now."

Hana went to him and put her arms around his waist, laying her head against his shoulder. After a moment, his arms went around her and tightened.

"I like you, too," she said, "More than I expected."

His arms tightened more and she looked up at him, smiling.

"Nothing's going to happen," she said, "You need to sleep and so do I. If you like, I'll take you to the guest quarters, but, frankly they haven't been used in a while, except to store things, and the bed's not that comfortable."

She could see his face change to doubt and pressed her advantage.

"Truly," she said, "The guest bed is an old one of Kiba's. Trust me. You don't want to sleep on it."

"Well…," he said and looked longingly at Hana's large and very comfortable looking bed, "I guess if you think it will be alright…"

She let go of him with one arm and used the other to steer him towards the bed. He hesitated a moment before allowing her to push him onto the mattress. He slid his legs under the comforter and lay back against the pillows with a heavy sigh.

She pulled the comforter up and smoothed back his thick, dark hair.

"Sleep now," she said, watching his face soften as he relaxed. She reached over to the small lamp on a table by the bed, switched it off and walked quietly towards the door.

"Hana," he said softly, "are you coming back?"

She hesitated.

"Yes," she said.

"Good," he said. She could hear him shift his weight as he rolled over to his side.

She hurried out the door to let the dogs out for the last time of the night.

Tsume was sitting out on the steps to the courtyard, smoking her kiseru pipe, Koromaru leaning against her.

"Your boy asleep yet?" she asked.

"Yeah," said Hana, "Just about."

She stood quietly, waiting for her mother to say what was on her mind.

"He's troubled," said Tsume, one hand stroking Koromaru's ruff.

"Yes," said Hana. No need to deny it. Tsume could smell his inner darkness, just as she could.

"He's gonna take some work," said her mother, finally looking over her shoulder at Hana, "You could get hurt."

"Yeah, maybe," said Hana.

Woman and dog sighed together.

"Well, then," said Tsume, turning back to her contemplation of the dark courtyard, the glow from her pipe shining like a tiny red star.

"Goodnight, Ma," said Hana, leaning down to drop a kiss on Tsume's cheek.

Tsume reached up a hand and patted Hana's face.

"Love you, Daughter," she said.

"Love you, Ma," said Hana.

She went back into the house, her heart lighter.

Kankuro adjusted his body to fit around her as she slipped in beside him, pulling her close and wrapping a heavy arm around her, grunting sleepily.

As she snuggled her back against his chest, she decided that she'd wait for a couple of days to tell him the truth.

It was only a little lie, wasn't it?

It was just that, even though she didn't want to rush things, she just couldn't bear the thought of him sleeping alone.

Or the thought of sleeping alone herself.

Besides...

He didn't need to know _right_ away that the guest quarters had been totally renovated last spring.

* * *

Daichi entertained them through dinner with a play by play demonstration of all the amazing things he had seen at the school assembly.

Baki was pretty impressed.

The boy actually understood a lot of what he had seen and was able to mimic some of the taijutsu quite well. He already showed a rough talent for chakra manipulation. Baki was tempted to give him a quick lesson, but refrained. He was unsure whether Kurenai-san would be pleased with any offers he might make.

After the third vigorous recap of Mighto Gai and Rock Lee's sensational combat, Kurenai finally put a stop to the free show.

"Alright, Daichi-kun," she said, "Time for your bath."

"Oooh, do I gotta?" he whined, "I wanna stay here with Mr. Baki-sensei-sama-man. Please, Mommy, please?"

He put on his best 'I'll just die if I don't get my way' face, his head to one side, his eyes huge and pathetic.

Kurenai lifted her brows, and shook her head.

Daichi turned his pleading face to Baki.

Baki blinked. He looked over at Kurenai, who looked back at him quizzically.

"Uh," he said, not sure what to say. Never, not once, had his three students plead with him to countermand an order or turned such an expressively pouty face towards him. His heart twisted. "Well," he hesitated.

"Oh, no, Daichi," said Kurenai sternly, "You are not getting out of a bath. Now, go."

"Awww," said Daichi, dragging his feet as he headed towards the bathroom.

"I'm sorry," said Baki gruffly. Had he really been about to crumble at the sight of Daichi's mournful face? He had a sudden vision of Gaara as a normal six year-old, using those same manipulative tactics.

Kami, it was a scary thought.

He shuddered.

Kurenai laughed.

"Don't worry. He actually loves his bath," she said, standing up and putting dishes on the tray, "Besides, his pouty face is a powerful weapon not many can withstand."

Baki hastened to help her stack things on the tray, taking it from her and carrying it into the kitchen.

She followed after wiping down the table.

"I take it you haven't had much experience with children," she said, putting on an apron and stacking dishes in the sink. She squirted some soap over the plates and turned on the hot water.

"Not really, no," said Baki, standing awkwardly by the counter.

The entire evening had been a failing exercise in self discipline. Despite his best efforts he could not keep his eyes off her. The riot of her chestnut curls around her face and shoulders; the tender and alluring curves of her throat and hips and heels; the expressive way her hands gestured; the fullness of her breasts as they shifted under her thin tee-shirt; the way her eyes sparkled and her lips moved when she talked or ate or sat still.

Several times he'd had to shift his sitting position to be more comfortable or hide his face by staring fixedly at the table.

It was frankly embarrassing.

He should probably leave.

Yes, leaving would be the best course of action.

If only he could convince his body to agree.

She handed him a towel, following it up with a clean plate.

"How old was your team when you took them on?" she asked.

He wiped the plate dry carefully, setting it down on the counter and taking another from her.

"Temari-san was nine when I become their sensei. Kankuro was a year younger. Gaara was six," Baki took another plate and added it to the growing stack.

"But that's very young," said Kurenai, looking at him in puzzlement.

"They were not like other children," said Baki gruffly, "Not like Daichi-kun. They were very – serious."

He methodically dried the bowls she was putting in the dish drainer.

"Gaara was a child," he said, "but he was very – dangerous. He needed someone who could – control him."

"And you were chosen to take them on?" she asked, briskly rolling chopsticks in her hands.

"I volunteered," he said, curtly.

She didn't say anything, but glanced at him for a moment.

"There was no one else," he said, "They were afraid. Gaara had killed too many people already. His temper was – unstable. You know that he was a jinchuriki."

Kurenai nodded, rinsing the chopsticks and dropping them on the towel.

"The One-Tailed Beast was never sealed to protect Gaara from him," he said quietly. He could hear Kurenai's gasp of horror.

"Poor child," whispered Kurenai.

He looked at her carefully. Her lovely eyes were flooded with tears. She held her clasped hands in front of her bosom.

"You protected him," she said, looking at him softly.

"Nothing so noble," he said, shaking his head slightly, "I was afraid, too. I was fulfilling a duty."

"A duty no one else would take on," she said.

Her eyes glowed ruby red.

"Don't make me into a hero," he said roughly, "I'm no hero."

Her eyes widened at his tone.

"Mommy!"

Daichi's voice was loud and imperative, all the way from the bathroom.

They stood for a moment, their eyes locked together.

She took a step toward him and he flinched.

She stopped, her face carefully noncommittal.

"Would you mind seeing what Daichi needs?" She said softly, turning back to the sink, "I'll finish up here."

"I -," he said, "I should-."

"Please?"

He nodded briefly and went to the bathroom, grateful for the interruption.

* * *

As Kurenai finished cleaning up the kitchen, she could hear Daichi bossing Baki around to help him get ready for bed.

"No, no, not that soap! _That _soap!"

Baki's deep voice rumbled some response but she couldn't make out the meaning.

"That's Mommy's soap. See? Smell. It's all girly. Whoops! Sorry, I didn't mean to get it on you."

Daichi's high laughter rang from the tiled bathroom like the peals of a bell.

"You smell like Mommy now!"

Kurenai chuckled.

She should probably nip this growing friendship in the bud, right now, before Daichi got too attached to the man.

Before she got too attached.

It would be so much more painful if she waited.

She wrung out the dish towels and hung them over the sink, staring at the window. Her own reflection stared back and she sighed.

She was a foolish woman.

For more than six years she had held herself aloof from starting a relationship with someone else. She couldn't bear to betray Asuma, even though she knew he would have told her to get on with her life.

And now, here she was, powerfully attracted to this scarred, taciturn, dreadfully tragic man. She couldn't help but notice how his attention had been focused on her during dinner. Did it make her a bad woman to be flattered by his obvious appreciation of her and her body?

Probably, but it had been a long time since she'd wanted a man to look at her the way Baki had.

She'd thought about him far more than a grown woman and single mother should have.

But there was something about him, about his stoic calm and his unyielding love for his students, that fascinated her, that filled her heart with tender pain.

"It's okay! Mommy lets me do it all the time!"

Daichi's voice came from the bedroom, accompanied by the rhythmic sound of the bed groaning as he jumped up and down.

"No, I don't think so."

This time Baki sounded much more confident.

There was a much louder thump that she knew from experience was the result of a somersault.

Baki's voice rumbled again.

"Okay, okay. Would you read me a story? Mommy always reads to me, but you can read to me, if you want to. I like this one and this one and this one and – oh, yosh! This one, for sure. And this one -."

Baki's voice sounded.

"Okay. This one, then. Here. You sit here and read to me."

Several thumps and giggles occurred, followed by a short period of quiet and then she could hear Baki reading _Peach Boy_. It was a favorite of Daichi's.

She smiled. Her little imp was definitely giving the man a workout, but he seemed to be holding his own.

She walked out into the sitting room and straightened it up, starting up a table top burner to heat water for tea.

He would need some refreshment.

Especially since he had yet to tell her about what had happened at the Hyuuga's.

She straightened up the bathroom as she waited for the story to near its end before going to the bedroom to rescue him. She stopped in the doorway and leaned against the jamb quietly, watching them.

The room was dark except for the reading light on the wall over the bed. Daichi was tucked against Baki's chest as the man held the book in front of them. They both were on the bed, Daichi under the covers, and Baki on top, with his long legs stretched out in front of him. They were both completely engrossed in the story of Momotaro's adventures.

"I want to go fight those ogres, too," said Daichi sleepily, "I would bring back all that gold for Mommy so she wouldn't ever have to worry."

"That would be good," said Baki, "She's lucky to have you."

The picture they made almost broke her heart.

Before she burst into tears, she walked into the room.

"Say goodnight, Daichi," she said, smiling as Baki got up hastily from the bed.

"G'night, Mr. Baki-san," said Daichi.

Baki put the book down by the bed and walked quickly over to the doorway.

"Goodnight, Daichi-kun," he said, his voice rough.

Kurenai took his spot on the edge of the bed, registering the warmth he left behind him, and leaned over to kiss her son on the forehead.

He wrapped his arms around her neck and hugged her tightly.

"He read the story good, Mommy," he whispered loudly.

"I heard," she said, kissing him again, "Go to sleep, now. You have a busy day at school tomorrow."

She stood up, turned off the light and pulled the comforter over his shoulder.

"Night, Mommy. Night, Mr. Baki-sensei-sama-man."

"Goodnight," they said together.

Baki looked startled and she smiled, walking towards him.

He hastily backed up and turned with military precision towards the sitting room.

Kurenai pulled the door almost shut and followed him.

"I made tea," she said, waving towards the table.

"Perhaps I should go," he said, awkward as a boy.

"Oh, no," she said, shaking her head at him, "You need to tell me all about what happened today, remember?"

"Uh," he said, a guilty look crossing his face.

"Have a seat," she pointed to the sofa and smiled as he reluctantly made his way over and sat down stiffly, his hands holding his knees tightly.

She sat down next to him and could feel him withdraw to give her space.

She sniffed the air appreciatively.

His vest smelled just like the freesia and lily soap she liked.

She poured tea and offered him a cup which he accepted gingerly.

"So, tell me," she said, just as he took a sip, "What happened?"

He gulped the tea loudly and put the cup down hastily.

He took a deep breath, straightened his shoulders and recited the events at the Hyuuga manor with the precise detachment he probably used when making a mission report.

She would have thought it was amusing if she wasn't so shocked.

She stared at him with her mouth open and her eyes wide.

"You told him to do what?"

He looked at her sideways and kept his mouth shut.

"How could you tell him something like that?" she frowned at him and shook her head, "You've known enough women to know that would be a stupid thing to say!"

If possible he looked even guiltier.

"Oh!" she said and moved her hip away from him.

"I'm sorry," she said, hastily, feeling her cheeks turn pink, "I don't mean to judge. I should have guessed that women weren't your -."

_Oh, Kami, I'm such a fool! _

But the way he'd looked at her -.

Wait, this just didn't make sense.

"What!" he said loudly, glaring at her, "I don't – I'm not – Men don't -," he stopped and shook his head, speechless.

"Oh," she said looking at him in puzzlement, "But it looked like you were going to say that you haven't had experience with women."

He turned away, clearly embarrassed.

"And you aren't interested in men," she said, thoughtfully.

"No!" he growled.

"Oh," she said, and sipped her tea.

He sat at attention as if waiting for her to laugh or ridicule him.

She set her tea cup down and studied him.

A light shade of pink colored his cheeks.

"Well," she said, tapping her lips thoughtfully with her finger, "that explains it, I guess."

He frowned.

"So, if you've never been with a woman and you've – am I right in assuming you've never been with a man?" she said, cocking her head and raising her brows.

The shade of pink flamed into a rosy red.

"You are!" he barked.

She grinned inwardly. Who would have thought that this competent, handsome man would be a virgin? What were the women of Suna thinking?

Not only that, what was he thinking?

"You are either nursing a broken heart," she mused aloud and noted the way his body tensed up with interest, "or you don't have a sex drive."

"I-," he turned to face her, growling, "I have a great sex drive!"

He knocked her teacup out of her hand, pulling her into his arms roughly. Their noses clashed as he crushed his hard, closed mouth onto hers. He dragged her over into his lap, holding her tightly, his lips grinding painfully against hers.

She'd hoped he'd kiss her. Not quite so forcefully, perhaps. Although there really was something shockingly thrilling about the way he'd grabbed her.

She lay against his knees, her hands pressed against his chest. Her heart thumped loudly with excitement and alarm and a rolling passion she hadn't felt in a long time.

She made her lips soften, made herself relax against him and, after a moment, he answered by softening his own mouth a little.

She lifted herself from his lap enough to take charge of the kiss, sucking on his lips, pulling him into her with her fists wrapped in his vest. His mouth opened a little in surprise and she took advantage of him by running the tip of her tongue along the parting. He gasped and she slipped her tongue more deeply between his lips.

Baki growled and took the initiative to follow suit, clumsily licking her lips, angling his head to get better access. His arms tightened around her, possessing her, and she responded by freeing one arm to wrap around his neck.

The kiss was a battle, painful and awkward.

Thrilling and breathtaking.

They broke apart, panting, and stared at each other.

He loosened his grip on her and pulled away, an expression of confusion and guilt ghosting across the part of his face that was not hidden by the cloth he wore over it.

He opened his mouth to speak.

"If you are about to say you should go," she said, her eyes narrowing, "You'd better not!"

"But I -," he said his voice harsh, "I am treating you with disrespect -. Too rough -. I'm not the kind of man -. I don't think -."

She put a hand up and cupped his jaw gently.

"Shut up and kiss me again," she said softly, laying back against his knee and the sofa cushions, trailing her hand down to his chest. She gripped the cloth of his vest and tugged at it gently.

He stared at her, frowning, one hand covering hers, the other warm under her back.

He nodded curtly and followed her down.

And proved to her that he no doubt achieved his elite jounin status by his ability to master new techniques very quickly and thoroughly.

Several times.

* * *

Hinata was tired.

And a little dizzy.

They'd gone to a karaoke bar and taken over the place, insisting on performing all the woman power songs they could find.

It was amazing how many times you could sing 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' before it got tiresome.

In fact, they hadn't reached that point when they finally left after Hinata remembered that she had to teach the next day.

They walked with their arms around each other, a giggling line of girls, drawing alternating looks of amusement or annoyance as they drifted through the lamp-lit streets of Konoha.

Hinata couldn't remember ever having so much fun.

She finally arrived with Temari at the door of her new apartment, suddenly coldly aware that she was on her own. She paused with the key in the lock, afraid to turn it.

The landlady huffed up the steps behind them, looking quite bizarre with a dark blue facial mask covering her plump face.

"Oh, Hyuuga-san," she said, gasping for breath, "I let your sister into your room. I hope you don't mind. She said she had things for your new home."

"M-my sister?" said Hinata, staring at the woman in surprise.

"Yes, and what a pretty girl she is," said the landlady, "She and some ladies brought some things for your new home, she said."

"Oh!" said Hinata.

Hanabi and someone else had come to her new apartment?

She shared a glance with Temari.

"Thank you so much," she said, bowing to the landlady and rushing to turn the key. She hurried into the apartment, Temari following close behind. She could hear Temari thank the landlady again before closing the door.

Hinata stood in the center of the studio and looked around her in astonishment.

The shabby furniture that had stood sadly around the room when she left was replaced with furniture she recognized from the Hyuuga estate. There were two comfortable Western style armchairs with footstools, a kotatsu table, zabutons on a Chinese rug, lamps set tastefully around the room and a shelf against one wall. Several boxes were stacked next to the shelf and she could see the finial of a scroll poking out of one corner. A screen was folded back to show a raised futon bed already made up with comforters near the bathroom. There was a lovely tansu chest that she remembered from her Aunt Izanami's house. A vase of fresh flowers stood on the pony wall that separated the kitchenette from the rest of the room. The shelves in the kitchenette were stacked with dishes and several cooking utensils could be seen on the small stove.

"Wow," said Temari, looking around with interest, "Your sister did all this?"

"I g-guess," said Hinata, tears starting in her eyes. She noticed folded paper on the kotatsu and picked it up, unfolding it quickly.

_#_

_Onee-chan,_

_I wish you were home and not in this little place. Father is very sorry for what he said. He hasn't told me so, but I can tell. I brought some things from home for you so that you will be comfortable. I'd like to say it was my idea but that would be wrong. After you left, Auntie Hisoka-san and Auntie Izanami-san asked me to help them bring things to you. They didn't want me to tell you, but I told them you would want to know. They said they were very proud of you, onee-chan. They said that you were very strong. _

_I am proud of you, too. Even though I wish you hadn't left._

_Do you think you could come home soon?_

_Or maybe I could come live with you?_

_There is some food in the refrigerator. I made the onigiri myself. _

_I will come see you after school tomorrow._

_Hanabi_

#

Hinata's tears slid down her cheeks.

The kindness of her two aunts overwhelmed her; they had thought of her, thought about how to make her comfortable. And that her sister, her volatile, self-absorbed, prickly little sister had been a part of this precious gift was too much for her.

"Hinata?" said Temari, putting her arm around the smaller girl.

"M-my aunts and my sister did this," Hinata whispered, "I can't believe it! They – they said that they were proud of me…" She buried her face in her hands and sobbed.

"Well," said Temari, "it's pretty nice of them, but, honestly, I don't know what's got you so upset."

"No," said Hinata, struggling to get herself under control, "n-not upset. Very happy. They said they were proud of me." She wiped her eyes and smiled at Temari.

"I-see," said Temari, her brows lifted.

Hinata knew that she didn't understand. People were always proud of the brave and confident Sand kunoichi and probably told her so regularly. No, Temari would never understand how important the gesture of support was to her.

"Thank you, Temari," said Hinata, smiling and hugging the older woman.

"Hunh?" said Temari, hugging her back, "I didn't do anything."

"Yes, you did," said Hinata, "you made me go out with you and I had a really good time."

"Well," said Temari, "You're welcome, I guess." She sighed and let go of Hinata. "I better get home since I have to be at work tomorrow, too." She headed towards the door and stood with her hand on the knob. "Hinata, about Gaara -."

"Don't worry," said Hinata quickly, "I'll make things better tomorrow."

"Actually," said Temari, "I was going to tell you to wait a little."

"Really?" said Hinata, astonished, "But, I thought -."

"He's never really had to think about other peoples' feelings before, you know?" said Temari with a sad smile, "He needs to learn how to do that if you guys are going to work out."

"I suppose," said Hinata, hesitantly.

"No, really," said Temari, shaking her head, "All his life he's had to be very guarded. He's only had to think about himself. We've spoiled him, really. He needs to learn to think about other people. I think it's really good for him."

She suddenly grinned at Hinata, tossing her head.

"Besides," said Temari with a mischievous twinkle, "I want to see what he comes up with! It's so entertaining."

She flicked a hand at Hinata and left quickly.

Hinata stood in the room looking at the door thoughtfully.

Now, wasn't that interesting?

Because she really couldn't wait to see what he came up with, either.

As she got ready for bed, she had to agree with Temari.

It really was entertaining to see Gaara scramble to make up to her.

Entertaining and endearing.

And she hoped he'd hurry up and make his move.

She wanted to kiss him.

_Soon._

* * *

Gaara shifted his weight again, trying to find a place on Shikamaru's saggy couch that didn't poke him uncomfortably. Just like all the other times, he was unsuccessful.

He couldn't believe how bad he felt.

His mouth tasted like he'd been gargling swamp water, his head ached, his knee still hurt from when he'd tripped and fallen on the floor – and where the hell had his sand armor been at the time? He was never going drinking again without keeping his sand gourd a little closer.

Although, on reflection, it was probably a very wise policy, making sure that all shinobi checked their weapons at the door of a place that sold alcohol.

Because he would have killed that weasel, Genma, in a heartbeat, if the gourd had been strapped to his back like usual.

Thinking about the way the older man had put his hands on Hinata pissed Gaara off all over again and he punched the sofa cushion a couple of times. There was an answering 'twing' sound and he felt lump pop up under his fist.

And the way Hinata had looked, staring down her nose at him, her long hair tossed over her shoulder and her white bosom heaving.

Damn that white bosom.

That amazing, delectable white bosom wrapped tightly in the fuzzy purply thing she was wearing.

The next shift for comfort had nothing to do with the lumpy sofa.

She had looked so incredibly gorgeous and kissable and down-right sexy, he'd wanted to drag her off and make her listen to him, force her to forgive him.

He'd been stopped cold when she turned on him.

Again.

Was Naruto right? Did he really need to grovel?

It was a novel concept and not one he was sure he'd be able to manage.

But he wanted her back in his arms again, more than ever.

Wanted to take the look of hurt from her eyes, wanted to make her smile at him.

Damn, he just wanted her.

What had she said?

_Why don't you try asking me? Acknowledge me?_

Hadn't she said something like that in her letters, about being acknowledged, seen?

A wave of shame, hot and bitter, washed through him and he groaned, flinging an arm over his aching eyes.

He had treated her in the worst way, hadn't he? Just as she had said, like a dog. Not like a woman he loved and respected.

Naruto was right.

He would have to grovel.

A lot.

_Well, shit. Shit, shit, shit._

* * *

_**A/N: My apologies for the late posting. I hope the length of this will make up for my tardiness. I've been swamped with projects that have looming deadlines and have not been able to spend as much time as I'd like working on this story.**_

_**A few notes: **_

_**The chapter title comes from a song by Herman's Hermits, "Can't you hear my heartbeat". Just thought it expressed what I imagine Baki and Kankura are feeling. I decided to concentrate on my two side love stories, just so someone would get a little enjoyment out of this visit to Konoha. Lord knows poor Gaara isn't getting any!**_

_**If you don't know what mizore nabe is, watch the 'Cooking with Dog' video on YouTube. (No, the dog is not an ingredient. He is the narrator. Really. You have to watch it. Not only is the cooking technique great, but the dog is really cute. His name is Francis. Honestly, you have to watch it. Would I make this stuff up?)**_

_**The story 'Peach Boy' is a Japanese folktale that is kind of like 'Thumbellina' or 'Tom Thumb' in which an old couple who long for a child find one in a peach. The boy, Momotoro (momo means peach) goes on an adventure to an island of ogres, meeting several animal spirits along the way. Momotoro and the animals fight the ogres and conquer them, taking the ogre's treasure back to the old parents waiting at home.**_

_**Anyway, I hope you like this chapter. Please let me know what you think.**_

_**Märchen Freunde**_


	21. Chapter 21

_**A/N: I do not own Naruto, nor do I gain profit from this story. **_

* * *

Chapter Twenty-One: Songs of Courting and Complaint

Shikamaru sighed.

He loved Temari. Really. He did.

Loved every inch of her troublesome, challenging, delectable self.

Loved her enough to do anything she asked after an obligatory objection period.

But was it really necessary to babysit her little brother?

After an extensive pub crawl, the band of brothers had taken leave of each other outside of Shikamaru's apartment.

There had been a lot of manly hugs, poundings on the back and promises to do this again, soon. Kiba and Naruto had taken the opportunity to give some last minute, contradictory advice to Gaara on how to get back with Hinata. Several 'love ya, man's had been exchanged, and a few eyes had been suspiciously moist, Naruto's most noticeably.

Finally, everyone had dispersed.

Everyone, that is, except Gaara.

He had stood, rumpled and disoriented, next to Shikamaru watching everyone leave.

It was then that Shikamaru realized Gaara was his responsibility for the rest of the night.

Or his girlfriend would probably inflict real damage.

Damn, it sucked to have a girlfriend with a seriously messed up little brother. Especially a little brother that she loved and worried about deeply.

Shikamaru sighed again. He poured hot water onto tea leaves and covered the pot.

Still, Gaara hadn't been a bad guest really.

He'd looked a little bug-eyed at his choices for a place to sleep. Okay, so neither the funky futon nor the saggy sofa had much to recommend either of them.

One thing for sure, though.

There was only one Sand sib sleeping with Shikamaru in his big comfortable bed.

And _that_ person did not sport testacles.

Gaara chose the sofa.

Shikamaru set a cup of tea down on the table by the sofa and cleared his throat.

Gaara moved the arm he had flung over his face and opened one bleary eye.

"Tea," said Shikamaru, deciding not to ask how his guest had slept. It didn't take his genius mind to figure that out himself.

Like shit.

Gaara was even paler than usual, almost translucent, and there were even darker circles under his eyes. His body was twisted uncomfortably on the sofa. Shikamaru felt a sympathetic twinge in his own back.

Gaara sat up slowly, wincing frequently, and reached for the tea cup with a slightly trembling hand. He slurped the tea down gratefully. Once the tea was gone, he stared wistfully into the empty cup and set it on the table.

Taking the hint, Shikamaru went into the kitchenette and brought out the tea pot and his own cup. He filled Gaara's cup and sat down.

"So," he said, sipping his own tea, "what's the plan?"

"Plan?" said Gaara dully, finishing off his second cup and pouring a third.

"Yeah, the plan," said Shikamaru, struggling for patience.

"Well," said Gaara hesitantly, "I thought – flowers."

"Flowers are good," said Shikamaru, "What else?"

"Oh, uh," said Gaara, pouring a fourth cup of tea, "I thought I'd ask her to dinner."

"That's good," said Shikamaru, "What else?"

Gaara looked at him warily.

"I thought," he said hesitantly, "I thought I'd let her tell me what she would like to do."

Shikamaru sat back and studied Gaara, his eyes narrowed in thought.

"That might work," he said, "Good idea."

"Really?" said Gaara, looking pleased and surprised.

"Yeah," said Shikamaru, "Since Temari's probably coaching her -."

"Temari?" said Gaara, looking a little sick.

"Oh, yeah," said Shikamaru, his voice warming a little at the thought of what kind of advice Temari had no doubt given Hinata, "Temari's probably told her to give you a hard time, right?"

"Probably," said Gaara, clearly chagrined at the idea.

"So," said Shikamaru, standing up with an air of bustling purpose, "You'd better get started."

"Hunh?" said Gaara, not moving, "Started?"

"Time's a-wasting," said Shikamaru, grabbing Gaara by the arm and hustling him towards the bathroom, "Hurry up and get cleaned up. You need to get to Ino's flower shop before it's too late."

In record time, Gaara was in and out of the shower and dressed in a pair of Shikamaru's jeans, tee-shirt and a jacket.

"You can thank me later," said Shikamaru, shoving his stunned guest out the front door with his dirty clothes stuffed in a plastic bag and a bewildered look on his face.

"The Yamanake shop is that way," said Shikamaru, pointing vaguely off towards the shopping district, "Good luck!"

Once the door was shut and locked, Shikamaru heaved another sigh.

"Thought he'd never leave," he mumbled and slouched back to bed.

Babysitting was exhausting.

* * *

Ino looked up from the fashion magazine she was studying with a bright smile.

"Welcome to the Yamanaka flower shop! How can I -," she registered the identity of her customer and glared, "Oh, it's you. What do you want?"

"Good morning," said Gaara, bowing slightly, "I was hoping you would help me pick out flowers for Hinata."

"Well, it's about time," said Ino, huffily. She made a point of taking her time to walk around the counter and over to Gaara, studying him critically.

"You look like crap," she said. Actually, he looked pretty damn hot, all sheepish and shy and wary, with his auburn hair in wet spikes.

Damn, Hinata was a lucky girl.

Not that she wasn't totally happy with Chouji.

Still, a girl could look, couldn't she?

"So, what do you want?" said Ino sharply.

"Well, I wanted flowers to take to Hinata," he said.

"Obviously," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "Or you wouldn't be here. What do you want the flowers to say?"

"Say?" he looked at her in bewilderment, then around the shop.

Honestly, what was it with a flower shop that made men get all incompetent? Probably the same gene that made it impossible for them to put kitchen utensils back where they belonged.

"Flowers mean different things," she explained quickly, "For instance, freesias mean childish and immature." She looked at him pointedly, enjoying his twitch. "Yellow roses mean jealousy." She grinned as he shrugged his shoulders. "Anything in particular you'd like to say?"

"Well, I- I'd like to say that I care about her," he said, looking at her sideways, "and that I respect her."

"Unh-hunh," said Ino, "Careful and respectful."

"Yes," said Gaara, "That's what I want to say."

"Not – 'I love you'?" she said.

A gentle pink stained his cheeks.

"Well, yes," he said, "I'd like to say that, too."

Ino took pity on him.

"I'll tell you what," she said, kindly, "You go pick out some nice jewelry while I get a bouquet ready."

"Jewelry?" he said, looking startled.

"Don't tell me you weren't going to buy her something a little more substantial than flowers?" she said sternly.

"Uh," he said.

Lord, the boy was hot but he was about as clueless as Naruto. Thank the Kami for Chouji. Now, there was a man who knew how to buy presents for a girl.

She touched one earring gently with a finger, smiling nostalgically. Gaara looked at her in puzzlement.

She shooed him to the door.

"There's a good shop right next to this one. Tell them I sent you. And don't get anything cheap."

She started reaching for flowers as the door shut behind Gaara on his way to the jewelry shop.

Red roses for love. White for devotion. Pink for trust and happiness. And confidence.

She added an extra pink rose.

He needed all the help he could get.

* * *

Kankuro woke up with a familiar heaviness in his bladder and an unfamiliar one on his chest.

It took a moment to register that the second weight was Hana, her arm over his ribs and her nose buried in his armpit.

Hana.

He was in bed with Hana.

Not just in bed, but he had slept the night through in bed with Hana.

Without once making a move on her.

And instead of feeling disappointed, his heart filled with elation.

He had never slept with a woman through the night, although he had been invited many times. The thought of sharing his bed had never appealed to him. He liked to spread out, kick the sheets off if he wanted to.

Yet, here he was, gently moving his arm and adjusting his body so that her face was turned up to him and he could look at her.

He'd liked her face the moment he'd grabbed her on the edge of the dance floor. He'd enjoyed watching her huge dark eyes sparkle and the way her mouth curved into a smile easily, when she teased him. He'd come to love watching her face, the way her thoughts flowed across her expressive features in a fascinating play.

Her large dark eyes were closed now, and the thick long lashes fanned out against the cream of her cheeks, so long that they brushed the burgundy tribal mark on her cheeks. Her mouth was open in sleep, and she grunted a little as she snuggled her nose back into his armpit. He smiled tenderly.

No wonder Temari couldn't wait to get back to Konoha.

Ever since she had been invited to spend time with Leaf, she'd been much happier. He'd noticed and asked her once what she liked so much away from home.

She'd smiled a small, secret smile and had shaken her head.

"Peace," she finally answered.

He knew now what she'd meant.

Holding Hana in his arms, hearing her steady breathing, feeling her warmth pressed against him, he felt peace, contentment, even happiness.

He'd never expected to be happy.

Much of his childhood had been spent dodging the heavy hand of his father, or the unpredictable temper of his brother. He'd stayed close to Temari, protecting her as best as he could from their harsh world. It wasn't until Baki had come into their lives that he had felt anything more than worthless.

He loved Baki unconditionally, just as he did Temari. And Gaara.

Even in the bad old days, he'd loved Gaara. His heart had been twisted with fear of the beast inside, and pity for the child without, but he had loved him.

Yet now, here he was, happier than he had a right to be.

Hana stirred and he quickly wiped his eyes on the sleeve of his borrowed jinbei.

She turned her face up and blinked slowly. She smiled at him gently and his heart skipped a beat.

"Mornin'," she said.

He nodded, unable to speak.

She reached up and cupped his cheek with one warm hand.

"I like your face without the makeup," she said softly, "Why do you wear it?"

"Part of the whole puppet thing," he said, uncomfortable, "And -."

"And?" she said.

"And I look too much like my father," he said, more roughly than he wanted.

She looked at him with a frown, letting her eyes roam over his face critically.

"Not to me," she said finally.

His heart swelled.

She pulled his head down as she pushed herself up and fastened her mouth to his.

_I love this girl._

_Seriously._

* * *

Baki lay back against the pillow and stared at the ceiling.

By mutual consent, he'd stayed in the bedroom while Kurenai got Daichi ready for school.

He didn't mind at all.

He could hear the two talking back and forth and he loved the sounds they made; Kurenai's sweet woman's voice, scolding Daichi gently; Daichi's high cheerful voice, laughing and singing a made up song about miso soup.

It made Baki smile just to hear them.

Happy mother, happy child.

He thought again of the way she'd ordered him to kiss her the night before.

It had sent shivers down his spine then, just as the memory did now.

He'd been shocked to find out that she had thought he was virgin. He'd had to demonstrate that he really did have firsthand knowledge, albeit somewhat scanty. He'd also had the benefit of reading several books and was prepared to put the skills he'd studied to good use.

She'd laughed at him and then became his teacher.

She was beautiful and generous and tender and demanding. He had loved every inch of her gorgeous, voluptuous body, studying it and her as earnestly as any mission map.

And he still didn't know nearly enough about her.

He was impatient for her to return to the bed, to continue where they left off. To let him show her how well he had learnt her lessons.

He could hear them leave the apartment. Kurenai had told him that she would walk Daichi to school and then be back to fix breakfast. She had kissed him, straddling him and holding his arms down while she plundered his mouth.

"Do not move from here," she ordered, frowning at him sternly, "Not even one inch." She'd grinned and wiggled a little when he groaned.

"That's an order!" she'd said, giving him a saucy pat as she climbed off the bed. She'd pulled on some sweat pants and a tee-shirt and blew a kiss at him.

But he should leave. He should get up now, dress and find Gaara.

He suddenly felt guilty that he hadn't even thought about his youngest student for hours.

It would be best if he left now, before she got back.

Yes, it would be best.

Somehow, though, the rest of his body was in lock-down mode and refused to get up.

The door to the bedroom opened and Kurenai slipped in.

She leaned against the door and looked at him with a mischievous face.

"I see you are a very good shinobi and have followed my orders to the letter," she said, reaching down and gripping the bottom edge of her tee-shirt.

His eye followed her hands, hungry for the sight of her.

As she slipped out of her clothes, she was lit by the early morning light drifting in through the curtains.

His breath caught at her beauty. She stepped delicately over to the bed, as graceful and lovely as a desert cat.

He opened the sheet and welcomed her into his arms, into his heart.

For a moment, he wondered what he would do when he left for Suna.

A pang of bitter sadness sliced through him and he held her tightly.

For now, it would have to be enough to love her this morning.

* * *

Gaara walked up the stairs to Hinata's apartment with his heart in his throat and a huge bouquet of pink, red and white roses in his hands.

Would they and the little velvet box in his pocket be enough?

_Please, Kami, please make her listen to me._

He knocked on the door hesitantly.

Nothing.

He couldn't hear anything on the other side.

What if she wasn't here?

Maybe she went back to the Hyuuga compound.

He thought about the way she'd left and shook his head.

She'd really meant what she'd said to her father, to him, to all of them.

He knocked again, a little louder.

Maybe she was standing on the other side, her Byakugan activated, knowing he was standing on her doorstep.

Maybe she didn't want to see him.

"Hinata," he said to the door, knocking again.

Nothing.

_Oh, Kami, what am I going to do? What am I going to do if she won't let me in?_

"If you're looking for Hyuuga-san, she's gone."

Gaara turned around to see a very round old woman glaring at him from the next-to-the-top step.

"Gone?"

Had she gone on a mission? Or run away? His mind started to spin out of control.

"Of course she's gone. She had a job to get to, you know," the woman sniffed disdainfully, "Not like some folks who can pound on doors all day not caring if they disturb the neighbors or anything."

Work! Of course. Hinata was at the school, teaching.

Gaara kicked himself mentally.

"Thank you!" he said, racing past the woman and flying down the stairs.

"Well, I never," grumbled the woman.

He headed recklessly through the narrow streets towards the Academy.

_Scenario 1: 'Hinata, I brought you flowers and expensive earrings. Please come to dinner with me so that I can tell you how very miserable I am and how you need to come back to me.'_

Bakka! Too stupid.

_Scenario 2: 'Hinata, please accept these flowers and this small token of my esteem. Please let me take you to dinner. I hope that we can continue-.'_

Bakka! Too formal.

_Scenario 3:_

He didn't have a scenario three.

How did one grovel, anyway? It was not a skill Shukaku had taught him. All the people he thought of as grovelers he had hated and despised. Surely, Hinata wouldn't want him to debase himself before her, would she?

Because he didn't think it was something he'd be able to manage very well.

He reached for the door of the Academy and paused, his hand gripping the solid brass handle tightly.

What if he couldn't win her back because he couldn't grovel sufficiently?

A bead of sweat popped out of the crown of his head and trickled down his scalp to fall with a cold splat on his neck.

Not possible.

He pulled open the door and strode into the main hallway.

No matter what, he would make it up to her. He would flatten himself out on the floor and let her walk on him, if that was what it would take.

He'd do pretty much anything.

Because the thought of not having her in his life scared him beyond anything he'd ever encountered.

Because she made him human, instead of a monster.

Because he loved her with all his heart.

_Kami, make me humble._

* * *

"Good job, Atsushi," said Hinata, "I really like the color you chose for the cat."

"Purple is my favoritest color," said Atsushi importantly, as he carefully filled in the cat's ears.

"Cats aren't purple, stupid," said Ryuko loftily, filling in her cat with her favorite pink.

"_My _cat is from Purple Land and everything in Purple Land is purple, stupid!" said Atsushi loudly. "And everyone knows cats aren't pink! So you must be stupid, too!"

"I am not stupid, stupid!" shouted Ryuko, reaching over to scribble pink on top of Atsushi's empurpled cat.

"Ryuko! Atsushi! Stop this right now!" said Hinata firmly, grabbing Ryuko's hand before the crayon hit its mark.

"But she-," shouted Atsushi.

"But he-," shouted Ryuko.

"Enough, I said," Hinata let go of the Ryuko and bent down to look both children in the face. "What are you two fighting about? Both your cats are beautiful. I love the way you colored your cats."

"Really?" said Atsushi, picking up his picture and looking at it sadly, "Do you really like it? Because Ryu's right. Cats aren't purple, are they?"

Ryuko craned her neck to look closely at Atsushi's picture.

"I like purple cats, even if they aren't real," she said gravely, "Hey, Atsushi, maybe your cat and my cat could be friends! Let's pretend they're friends and they live next door to each other."

"Okay!" said Atsushi and the two turned back to the table to draw little houses for each cat to live in.

Hinata smiled.

Those two squabbled every day, but somehow they always managed to stay friends.

Maybe she should follow their example and resolve things with Gaara.

There was a knock at the door and she hurried over to open it.

Iruka stood at the door looking a little flustered.

"Hinata-san, I'm sorry to bother you," he said.

"No bother, of course, Iruka-sensei," she said gently, bowing.

"I wondered if you would mind if a visitor came to observe your class today?" said Iruka nervously. He glanced over his shoulder.

Hinata frowned and stepped out into the hallway.

Gaara stood there clutching a rather bedraggled bouquet of roses.

"A visitor?" she said coldly.

She watched his eyes open wide.

Her heart started to race.

_Oh, Kami, he's here. He's really here. _

"Yes," said Iruka, "The Kazekage requested an opportunity to observe how our Kindergarten was run."

"He did, did he?" said Hinata, lifting her chin and staring hard at the Suna delegate.

_And was that enormous bouquet of roses for her? _

"I really can't refuse, Hinata-san," said Iruka apologetically.

"Very well," said Hinata, "I suppose he can come in." She turned and swept regally into the room, pausing only to say over her shoulder, "As long as he behaves himself."

_And was it her imagination or did he look even more adorable than ever? _

"Of course, Hinata-san, I'm sure he'll-," Iruka said. He turned to Gaara and looked at him through narrowed eyes. "You heard what she said. You may be the Kazekage, but I won't have you upsetting my classrooms or my teachers, do you understand?"

Hinata waited to hear Gaara's reply, holding her breath.

"I understand," said Gaara, his voice gravelly.

He walked slowly into the room and stood near Hinata, blinking owlishly at the classroom.

"Class," said Hinata with authority, "We have a guest today."

All the children stopped what they were doing and swiveled their heads to stare at Gaara.

She could hear him gulp as twelve pairs of eyes locked on to him.

_Now, this was going to be fun._

* * *

_**A/N: I hope you like this latest chapter. Had to kick Gaara in the butt, courtesy of Shikamaru, to get things moving again. Please let me know what you think.**_

_**Chapter title is the title of a folk album by Peggy Seeger who, with her husband Ewan McColl and her half-brother Pete Seeger, was largely responsible for the folk music revival of the '50s and '60s all the way up to today. If you haven't heard of these people, take the time to learn about them. You won't be sorry. If you have heard of them, give yourself a treat and have a little revival of your own. She, her husband, Pete and all the other Folk Revivalists like Joan Baez, Judy Collins, Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, Marianne Faithful, The Kingston Trio, etc., etc., well, music today wouldn't be what it is without their influence. As a personal note, my dearest aunt was a part of the Seeger crowd in New York in the beatnik '50s so I have a special fondness for Peggy and her brothers.**_


	22. Chapter 22

_I do not own…well, you all know this bit…nor do I profit…you know this bit, too…._

============================/=========================

Chapter Twenty-Two: Crossroads

Gaara stood at the front of the classroom and stared coldly at the children, his arms folded across his chest, the bouquet awkwardly resting against his shoulder.

The children stared back at him.

What was it Kankuro called them? Ankle biters?

He had a sudden, horrid vision of the children gnawing on his leg bones and shuddered inwardly.

Except for his student, Matsuri, he generally had very little to do with children.

He had once longed to play with others, had watched them chasing each other on the playground, laughing and joking. The few times he had tried to join in the games, the mothers had hustled the children away, shooting looks of fear and revulsion at him.

He hadn't needed many of those humiliations and hurts before the longing turned into hatred.

"Mister."

He could feel tugging on his robe.

"Hey, Mister."

Gaara opened his eyes and stared down at a boy with wild shocks of black hair sticking up from his head.

"Why you got those flowers, hunh, Mister?" said the boy, "Ryu says you got those flowers for Miss Hinata. Didjoo? Hunh? Didjoo, Mister?"

He felt tugging on the other side of his robe. A bright-eyed girl stood on his other side, her head cocked to one side and one hand wrapped securely in fabric.

"Yeah, Mister," said the girl, the two pigtails over her ears waving cheerfully, "You got those flowers for Miss Hinata? Dintjoo? Dintjoo?"

"I -," faltered Gaara.

He was the Godaime Kazekage, for Kami's sake! Scourge of the Desert! Less of a scourge, now, perhaps, thanks to the Akatsuki's extraction of Shukaku, but an acknowledged figure of fear.

And he was tongue tied by these two.

"Come on, Mister," said the girl, pulling him forcefully towards Hinata, "I'll help you. Come on. You gotta give those flowers to Miss Hinata, right? Come on."

"Hey!" said the boy, yanking on his robes from the other side to stop him, "I was gonna do that! You stop it, Ryu-Stupid-Head! I was gonna take him to Miss Hinata. Let go!"

"I'm taking him, Stupid Head! He's mine," shouted the girl, grimly wrapping both hands in Gaara's robe and pulling it towards Hinata.

"You let go, you Stupid Head!" The boy wrapped his own fists in the fabric on the other side and pulled it with a loud groan.

Both children dug in their heels and turned red in the face.

Gaara had a moment to reflect on the high quality of craftsmanship that prevented the cloth from tearing. He would have to commend the Suna Weaver's Guild when he got back.

He heard a soft sigh in front of him and looked up to see Hinata.

"This could go on all day," she said.

"Really?" he said.

_She's talking to me!_

"Oh, yes," she said, "They're very persistent."

"Persistence can be a very good quality," he said, watching her face carefully.

She looked up and studied him with a slight frown.

"It can be," she said. Her eyes shifted to the flowers and then back to him.

"I brought you flowers," he said, lamely.

"Really?"

He unfolded his arms and held the bouquet out to her.

She hesitated before taking them, her hands brushing his for a moment.

They both shivered at the contact.

She stepped back hastily, her eyes wide.

"Thank you," she said, turning to hurry off to the sink in the corner of the room.

============================/=========================

Oh, she was a fool.

Undone by the touch of his hand, the look on his face.

Where was all that 'we are woman, we are proud' kind of energy she'd had going just a moment before?

Completely flown, the moment she'd seen that look, that complicated, vulnerable look, flash across his face.

The cellophane flower wrappings crackled alarmingly in her shaking hands. She buried her face in the pink and white and red blooms, gasping in their rich scent. The petals brushed her cheeks like kisses, cool and soft.

She hastily filled a bucket with water and thrust the flowers stems into it.

The look she'd seen, searing need, longing, fear, hope, had cut her to the heart.

It had lasted a moment, barely perceptible, his eyes shuttered in seconds.

But she had seen it and recognized it.

She'd lived with people who didn't show emotions all her life. The Hyuuga clan was famous for their cold personalities and stony demeanor. The fact that she could not keep her emotions concealed was one of the many reasons why she was an embarrassment to her family; she wore her heart on her sleeve.

It had shocked her to see the open longing in his eyes.

Longing for her.

The water flowed over the edge of the bucket, flooding the sink, cooling her hands.

She lifted them to her face and pressed them against her hot cheeks, thankful for the cold. She took a deep breath, centering herself.

She turned and looked calmly at him.

He stood surrounded by children, his arms folded across his chest, his face austere and beautiful.

Her heart melted and she felt a wave of warmth flood her face.

============================/=========================

Gaara watched Hinata turn off the water and turn back to the classroom.

Her wide violet eyes swept over him and he swallowed in disappointment.

"I told you," said Ryoku, "He's the Kizzykuggy, you bakka! Like the Hokikuggy, only not so good."

"Yeah?" said Atsushi, staring critically at the silent Kazekage, "Well, if he's the Kuzzykuggy, where's his robes? Hunh? Where's his funny hat? Hunh?"

"It's Kizzykuggy, stupid-head, not Kuzzykuggy. Don't you know anything?" said Ryoku loudly, "You really are a stupid-head!"

"I'm not a stupid-head! You're a stupid-head! Where's his funny hat, hunh? He should be wearing a funny hat!"

Should he correct them? Would it make a difference if he did?

"Alright, children," said Hinata, sternly, "Time to learn some more characters. Sit at your tables now."

The children raced over to their tables and there was a moment of chaos as they jostled for chairs.

Gaara hesitated a moment, watching Hinata. She turned away and wrote on the chalkboard. He walked to the back of the classroom and leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest.

She could ignore him all she wanted.

He was not leaving.

Not without her.

============================/=========================

Hinata was not the only one distracted by the presence of the Godaime Kazekage.

He loomed, a glowering presence, his eyes trained unerringly on her, stern and silent.

The children kept turning around and looking at him.

It was difficult not to follow their example.

Somehow, she managed to continue teaching her simple lesson plan, although she couldn't really say that she'd been successful at imparting knowledge to her students.

When the classroom door opened and Tetsuyo, her upper-school class aide, entered, everyone sighed in relief.

Tetsuyo looked Gaara up and down and frowned.

"Hinata-san, are you alright?" he said, his adolescent voice cracking a little. He stepped in front of her protectively.

Hinata smiled at him warmly, patting him gently on the shoulder.

"Yes, thank you, Tetsuyo-san," she said, "Everything's fine."

Tetsuyo looked at Gaara suspiciously. From the corner of her eye, Hinata saw Gaara push himself off the wall.

"Would you take the boys to the restroom before lunch, please, Tetsuyo-san?" said Hinata hastily.

"What?" said Tetsuyo, "Oh, yeah, sure. C'mon, kids, line up."

Tetsuyo stood by the classroom door and waited for the boys to form a line. He cast another suspicious look at Gaara.

"I don't like to leave you alone with -," Tetsuyo's voice cracked again and he straightened his shoulders. He stared defiantly at the intruder. "I'll stay until you're ready to go, Hinata-san."

Hinata looked at Tetsuyo with her mouth open in astonishment.

He stood with his shoulders squared, a skinny awkward boy of fourteen, his pale face set and determined.

He suddenly reminded her of Naruto, stubbornly fighting against all odds.

She suppressed her smile of nostalgia and glanced at Gaara with a frown, shaking her head. She caught his look of surprise before she turned back to Tetsuyo.

"Everything's alright, Tetsuyo-san," she said warmly, "you go along with the boys."

"Hinata-san," said Tetsuyo sternly, "I think it would be best if I –."

Kami, not another man telling her what to do!

Hinata stifled a twinge of impatience and smiled sweetly, ignoring the hint of a growl behind her.

"Yes, it would be best if you take the boys now," she said, waving Tetsuyo and the line of boys out the door. "Don't forget to wash your hands,"

Tetsuyo opened his mouth to protest again, and shut it with a snap. He paused at the doorway and stared significantly at Gaara, "I'll be looking for you in the lunch room."

"Yes, of course, hurry along now," Hinata smothered a sigh as Tetsuyo and the boys finally left.

While it was flattering to know that she was the object of a crush, something she'd never expected, seriously, did it have to be now? Wasn't one glowering man enough to manage?

She turned back and frowned again at the glowering man.

Who frowned back, his aqua gaze narrowed and burning.

"Alright, girls. Ryoku, you lead the way."

"Yes!" shouted Ryoku, her fist in the air. "Line up, everyone," she said importantly, standing by the door with an imperious look on her face.

Hinata glanced briefly over her shoulder again.

Gaara was watching her with a predatory air that made her skin tingle.

Hinata followed the girls out the room, pretending that she wasn't making a hasty get-away.

She sighed.

She needed a break.

============================/=========================

He had no success getting close to Hinata during lunch. When she had sat down at the teacher's table, Temari had hastily sat down next to her, tossing a wicked, mocking look over her shoulder at him.

There was no way he was going to join them and endure whatever conversational barbs Temari was prepared to fling his way.

He sat next to Umino Iruka and pushed his rice around, his appetite gone, politely answering Umino's questions about the differences in elementary school teaching methods between Suna and Konoha and ignoring Temari's grin across the table and down a few seats.

He studied the boy who had protected Hinata.

The boy was clearly infatuated with her.

Gaara hadn't missed the look of longing on the boy's face or the look of jealousy.

He was familiar with those looks himself, having seen them in the mirror ever since he'd realized he was in love with her.

He also hadn't missed how Hinata had smiled tenderly at the boy and frowned at him.

He growled quietly, gritting his teeth.

He realized that Umino had spoken to him and shook himself inwardly.

"Kazikage-sama," said Umino hesitantly, "If you are finished with your lunch…"

"Ah," said Gaara, "yes. I'm finished. Thank you."

He stood up abruptly and bowed to the table slightly.

Everyone looked at him in surprise.

"Thank you for your hospitality," he said, "I should -."

"You should see the playground," said Hinata loudly.

The dulcitory conversation around the table stopped as though a switch had been thrown.

All heads swiveled towards Hinata.

Who seemed to be studying her onigiri with deep concentration.

Even from across the table and two people away, Gaara could see the furious blush burning her cheeks.

"Well," said Umino, clearing his throat, "Yes, I suppose the Kazekage should see the playground before finishing his visit."

The other teachers at the table shifted and muttered under their breath.

Temari winked audaciously at Gaara.

Gaara sank back down in his seat.

"I suppose I should see the playground first," he said mildly and attacked his rice bowl with enthusiasm.

If he'd been a different person a grin would have split his face right about now.

============================/=========================

Oh, why hadn't she kept her mouth shut?

What demon had possessed her?

She should have let him go, given everyone, given herself, some relief from his intense, brooding presence.

But when he said, 'I'm finished', her heart had stopped.

Finished?

Had he meant simply that he was finished with lunch?

In which case, she had acted completely inappropriately and would die of embarrassment.

Or had he meant, as she was sure he had, that he was finished with the game they were playing?

She had blurted out the first that had come to mind.

The first stupid thing.

Oh, she was so bad at this sort of thing, so inexperienced, so guaranteed to make a fool out of herself.

Blood rushed into her head and pounded sickeningly.

Kami, please don't let me faint.

She opened her mouth and panted.

Of course, it wouldn't be the first time that she'd made an utter and complete fool of herself in front of a crowd of people.

Actually, people who knew her were probably used to it.

There she goes again.

Stupid, foolish, useless Hinata.

The pounding in her ears grew louder and blackness filled her head.

The warmth of the hand gently pressed between her shoulder blades calmed her immediately.

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

The hand moved in a smooth slow circle on her back, filling her with energy.

She looked up gratefully, expecting to see Iruka-san's concerned face.

Instead, she found herself falling into Gaara's fierce aqua gaze.

They stared at one another for a moment before his hand fell away.

She shivered a little as the cooler air brushed her back.

"The playground, Hyuga-sama?" he said, politely, stepping back to allow her space to push her chair away from the table and stand.

"O-of course," she said, turning back to clear away her dishes.

"Don't worry about that," said Temari, grinning broadly. "I'll take care of it. You two run along, now."

She shooed her hands at them and loaded Hinata's dishes onto her own tray.

Hinata stood still and took a deep breath.

He was right. It was time to be finished.

She turned and faced Gaara.

He stood wrapped in his solitude as tightly as his sand shield.

His face was impassive, his eyes carefully shuttered, but she could see his pain and lonliness as clearly as her own.

She smiled gently and put her hand lightly on his sleeve.

"Shall we go?" she said.

============================/=========================

_Well, it's been a long time. I'm sure you don't want to know how many times I rewrote this chapter. Short version – it just wasn't working for me. I'm not sure it does yet. Still, better to finish what I started. Hope you like it. Please let me know. M_


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